|
|
|
|
|
Lip service Post-Pinki, will the accolades beget action? Hear it straight from the lips of people involved in bringing smiles to the faces of many little Pinkis closer home …
It's certainly been a moment of India smiling. The smiles that lighted up little Pinki's cleft-free countenance and that of the entire Smile Pinki crew on the Hollywood red carpet had a radiance that touched many a heart closer home. For, Smile Train, the international NGO whose work has inspired the 39-minute Oscar-winning documentary by Megan Mylan, is also the tale of tiny tots around us. By supporting the cause of these children, Smile Train not only provides them freedom from a deformity, but also liberates them from the stigma that's attached to these 'jeeb-kate bacche.' Superstition has it that this deformity affects pregnant women who come under the evil influence of a lunar eclipse or that of Rahu and Ketu. One project that this NGO funded was in Ambala district that had nearly 36 children born with a cleft lip or palate being provided corrective surgeries. Says Rajbir Deswal, DIG (CID), Haryana, who was involved with a project in Ambala district sometime back, "The Oscar comes as a much-needed boost to this cause as it will help in bringing in more awareness as well as aid. "In Ambala, as part the sensitization of thanedars at the district level, we had asked the cops to identify children with these disorders so that they could be treated under the Smile Train-funded project. An ordinary surgery to correct a cleft lip can cost anything up to Rs 50,000. So, this project is a boon to children from the lower strata. "After corrective surgery these children not only look better but speak fluently too," he adds. The larger fallout of the Oscar on this cause is underscored by Dr Vijay Omed, a plastic surgeon at CMC-Ludhiana who has been treating patients with cleft lips and palates for the past over nine years "The Oscar victory for Smile Pinki has come as a huge morale booster for all those partnering in this cause. By throwing the spotlight on this activity, it will help draw big-time funding from a global audience." Will the international acclaim for the film have any impact on the cause on home turf? "Well, yes. Many parents in our society don't come forward to get this deformity treated or come too late. A cleft lip is best treated within three to four months of a child's birth, while a cleft palate should ideally be corrected in the first year. The awareness created by the film will enable timely treatment." What has his experience been of performing these surgeries? "Oh, the tears that well up in a mother's eyes after her daughter is handed over to her after a corrected lip is to be seen to be believed!" He adds, "Since there is no national policy on tackling these disorders, a global honour may translate into meaningful action by the government." Any unusual story he has to narrate? "The interesting cases are those of both parents and the child suffering from a cleft lip. But in most cases, the parents get only their wards treated and not themselves!" Says Malkit Singh, father of little Harshita, who was treated by this surgeon for a cleft lip, "Oscar da te pata nahin. But if it helps the cause te changaa hi hai." chetnabanerjee@tribunemail.com
|
|
Clutch it We saw the Hollywood hotties clutching on to them at Oscar nite. Now, the city ladies are eyeing these clutch bags for that complete party look
Jimmy Choo, Hobo, Botega, Tod’s G, Judith Leiber; these are names linked to an astounding sum of money. But wait, if you thought they are people who are connected to bull and the bear or men who can transform a nation’s economy overnight, you could not be further from the truth. But big they are. They are the people associated with the business of fashion and mark the rise and fall of a trend more frequently than the Sensex. Well, if you have still not got the faintest idea of what we are talking about, let us make it crystal clear—we are talking about the most sought-after accessory—the handbag or as we fondly call it the bag. And with Hollywood divas and their Oscar style statements still fresh on our minds, we thought of taking a peep into city’s bag trend. And we learn that this season it’s all about clutches and that too in varied hues. "More than handbags, this season we see women hooked to clutches," says Deepika, assistant manager, Da Milano. She adds, "It’s jazzy and stone-studded when we say clutches, but more than that women are obsessed with hues. And once again, its golden and silver that is topping the chart."
Branded or non-branded, bags are definitely inspirational and would attract any girl’s attention. Though we have now got into the trend of branded bags, abroad even a college girl would save her pocket money to buy a Louis Vuttion. Earlier, linked to glamour and Hollywood alone, clutches have now become every woman’s desire. "It’s the long ones that are in demand this season," says Divya Kapoor, owner of Samsaara, Taj-17.
With brands like Satya Paul, Rocky S and Tarun Tahiliani under one roof here you can pick the best of bests. On what kinds are making the round in the fashion circuit here, she says, "It’s the stone and Swarovski-embedded clutches are in demand and it’s solid colours like silver, golden and bronze women are liking." Telling us more Divya adds, "Crocodile and animal prints are forever favourites and these clutches can last for a lifetime as they are meant for occasions. Hardcore party lovers prefer flashy ones like silver or golden." Giving information on the latest range, she says, "This season Satya Paul has launched solid stone-embedded, light coloured clutches. In aqua hues, these are perfect for the summer. Other than that, we have Tarun Tahiliani’s collection of wonderful clutches in digital printing." It’s the exotic nature of the skin, be it leather, crocodile leather or python and uncommon shades like red, blue and yellow, which add to the cost factor, besides true metals and chains. jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com
|
|
When it comes to dressing, the music maestro trusts his wife, says designer
Even though maestro A.R. Rahman has proved he has impeccable music sense-as is evidenced by his twin Oscars, when it comes to following fashion trends, he completely trusts his wife Saira Banu, says his stylist Vijayeta Kumar. "He is a very simple person and doesn't believe in doing anything flashy. He is not at all brand conscious and blindly depends on Saira for the final call," Vijayeta Kumar said. "The reason behind this is that Saira is more aware and keeps herself updated about the latest trends," she added. This Mumbai-based stylist who is also a filmmaker has been associated with Rahman for over a year now. She had met him on the sets of a musical show "Mission Ustad" on 9X, for which she was the stylist. Rahman's wife got in touch with Kumar after the show and since then she has been designing for the maestro at various concerts and award functions. "Both of them are so amazing and down to earth. They are wonderful. It's been a wonderful experience and after his win at the Oscars, Rahman has proved that he is the best," Kumar said. At the Oscars, Rahman was wearing a black Lanvin tuxedo and for the live performance he wore Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee's creation - a black sherwani. "The red carpet dressing is very strict so we were very clear from the beginning that he is going to wear a tuxedo. There was no question of opting for any Indian attire or repeating any outfit," Kumar explained. "We zeroed in for Sabyasachi for the sherwani because he is the best. We had to make sure that Rahman was wearing something comfortable while performing. So what better than a sherwani and that too a Sabyasachi," she added. Was it a coincidence that both Rahman and Saira were wearing black? "Both of them just love black. So it was a conscious decision," Kumar maintained. Elaborating on Rahman's style statement, Kumar said: "It is very easy to dress him because he doesn't believe in brands. He gives importance to comfort levels." "He is a jeans and shirt man. Sometimes he wears kurtas with churidars also," she added. — IANS
|
||
|
The red carpet saw Angelina scoring over Winslet and Aniston
Wearing a black Elie Saab gown, Jolie added a splash of colour to the ensemble with emerald drop earrings and a matching ring. She also trounced current partner Brad Pitt's ex-wife Jennifer Aniston. Aniston who came wearing a silver Valentino gown will have to take succour in the fact that she at least had the perfect arm candy for the award ceremony, Grammy winning boyfriend John Mayer. Another actor to follow the sparkle trend was Anne Hathaway who wore a shimmering fish tail Armani gown very similar to the mermaid inspired Dior gown worn by last year's Best Actress winner Marion Cottilard. British actor Kate Winslet took home an Oscar in the Best Actress category and was also applauded for her simple fashion choices as she wore a two toned black and blue Yves Saint Laurent gown, standing out with her sculpted hairstyle and minimal jewellery. Indian actress Freida Pinto added her bit of glamour to the glittery event in her midnight blue John Galliano gown, which she paired with vintage jewellery from India. But the fashion camps were divided over whether the dress was a bit too dowdy for the young actress. — PTI
|
||
The verdict on stylish and not so is out. While Angelina Jolie, Sarah Jessika Parker, Heidi Klum and Amy Adams got thumbs up from fashion gurus, Beyonce Knowles, Marion Cottilard and Queen Latifah got thumbs down. The fashion delight Sarah Jessica Parker did not disappoint the fashion police as she stood out in her pale green Dior gown with a voluminous skirt and jewelled bodice. The biggest disappointment of the night was Beyonce Knowles, who wore a black gown with swathes of brassy gold flowers, which looked as if it was made out of a velvet curtain.
|
||
|
Who's afraid of competitions! 'Keeping up with the Joneses' just got a new meaning in the campus festivals. Not repeating or being offbeat is the norm
So, if PEC Fest proved its might by inviting the famous rapper Hard Kaur, Cyanide '09 announced its arrival with a marathon. Competition after all! Just like the inter-school house competitions. Remember? When even your 'bestest buddy' in the other colour house t-shirt would suddenly have the semblance of highest adversary. No meandering`85back to the fests and their novelty factor. Says Suhaas Sharma, core committee member, Cyanide, "Of course other festivals and their success or failure drives our decisions." He corrects, "Why just others, even our own festivals previous years affect and shape the event. We do keep others in mind. Try to learn from their success or failure," says Shikhar Angra, convener, core committee member, Goonj. Akanksha Vir, public relations team and final year student of Panjab Engineering College, however, slightly differs, "An idea for the event can come up from anywhere. There are different clubs handling operations, in the process several ideas are rejected and several accepted." The deliberation, either way, does seem to work. For instance, the six-km road marathon had over 600 people running for it with 750 registrations. Continuing cashing on the popularity wave, the Cyanide '09 organisers also had desi roadies thrown in, whose tougher tasks were kept veiled till the last day. Adds Suhaas, "The scheduling and selection was done primarily by the students only." Agrees Shikhar, "There are different committees like academic, cultural, technical, etc. Ideas pop-up and from their they go through a rigorous procedure of selection, rejection before being finally placed in front of teachers for approval." Goonj of UIET, depicting their technical prowess went online this year with three events, Stock On (virtual stock market-based competition), online quiz, Inquisitive (web page showing a picture and question) and Arcano. At PEC Fest, the stunt bikers from various parts of Punjab, pulled off the crowd with their display for around 45 minutes, with the announcement of fests arrival by their characteristic flamboyant road rally. As staple a feature as the annual extravaganza itself. Conscious? Says Akanksha, "It wasn't a conscious decision. At least not with the mindset of identity in mind. The road rally did help us initially though." She adds, "We try to throw in an eclectic mix of activities and also publicise it whatever way possible by keeping it huge through radio channels and all." Another thing, the girl feels IIT's Rezendesvous as their competitor and not the myriad fests lining the PU calendar! Great going! Anybody threatened? manpriya@tribunemail.com
|
|
Judgement day Satish Narula This is the season of flower and garden festivals. The Rose Festival is over, now is the turn of Spring Fest to be held in Panchkula, a flower show at Yamunanagar and at Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana. The plants that were adapting themselves to changing weather now have set right their clocks and are expected to give better blooms during the coming days. You can expect even a better display there. But then, there is going to be a tough competition. Such shows have now attained the national stature and thus there is a need for better professionalism and display. The judges should also adapt a more critical criteria but that does not mean the amateurs and other participants should get discouraged. If you follow some of the following tips, you can sure win a few prizes. The participants must always strictly follow the instructions given in the pamphlet to escape disqualification. The biggest blunder the participants make is the display of more number of sticks or blooms than specified. They think that by doing so their vase will look ‘filled’ but that is not desirable. Such entries are not judged. May be due to ignorance or unintentionally, some of the participants write their name on the ticket attached to the exhibit. That is also disqualification. While selecting the vase for display, make sure it has a heavy base, especially for blooms like dahlia, gladiolus, stock and larkspur. Such blooms with heavy head fall with the slightest of wind if the exhibits are kept outdoors, damaging the blooms. Make sure the blooms that you display face the judges. The vases should not be leaking as for want of water, the blooms sag very fast and the best of it may lose. There are some of the anomalies on the part of organisers too. There is no specification about the size of the pot in case of potted plants. A 10-inch pot is judged against a 12-inch pot, which will always be having more number of blooms and better display. In case of absence of any such instruction, one must always raise seedlings in bigger pots. Also in case of some of the flowers like petunia, there is no distinction made in single and double bloom types. It is because of this that the pots with double blooming hybrids get preference over even some of the best ‘singles’ specimens. So, is the case with dahlias. The giant exhibition type blooms have in competition with them the two-inch pompom types. There is need for two different categories. At some places the organisers insist that only one entry should be given a prize and so, when the judgment is being done, they inform the judges that such and such entry have participated in other categories or have already won prizes. This is wrong on two accounts — one, the judges are not supposed to be know the identity of the participant and other, if judges ignore another good specimen on such grounds, the visitors wonder as why the best specimen was ignored and the one with lesser merit got the prize. This aspect needs serious rethinking. A participant should be free to take part in any number of categories. Thus, the opportunity is equal for all.
|
|
|
We went. We showed. We conquered. We are talking of Slumdog Millionaire. Has the overnight success of the young stars raised aspirations of the youth and created unrealistic expectations? Great expectations
Shruti Jain, M.B.A student Be positive
Rohit Chattopadhyay, ICFAI student Driving force
As for unrealistic expectations, it in fact urges the youth to work harder. It drives them. So, there is nothing wrong. Ashish Kapoor, business management student
|
|
The Cyanide effect It was fun and frolic at the fest of Department of Chemical Engineering, Panjab University It was day two of unlimited fun and activities as Cyanide continued its effect on campus. With a footfall of more than 2000 the fest was high on mast radar. Sticking to the theme of Chandigarh marathon, it started with a cleanliness drive at the Student center where students and volunteers joined in this collective effort to clean up the heart of campus and the department grounds which later turned into a complete fete area. With a round of clock of fun activities like bowl out- a mix of football and bowling and innovative games put up by the students of the department the games at the fest sure grabbed attention. For those who want to be rockstars, Mock Rock was the event to check out. Play your favourite rock song in the background and get into the skin of a rockstar by acting on it. Well, game for some more action then Cyanide has Desi Roadiezz, based on ultimate baap of game shows-MTV Roadies. No don't get white in face; there was no Raghu or his evil half Rajiv waiting to suck life out of you (leave that for those buried at the actual version) but the fest has a sort of performing stunts and tasks that freak you out. Like a pit of sand with different coins thrown inside and you hunting for them or a racing track made out of a bricked pattern and you running to the finish line, stepping on the bricks only, of course. More tough tasks wait for you if you manage to get past these ones! There was also a singing competition that will continue to the third day. More street smart fun came with the street plays that got a platform at teh Cyanide grounds. The talent from the city student groups got the message attached with masti. Last but the best, the night had the crowd laughing out loud with Sudesh Lahiri at his comical best. The stand up act was complemented by the feisty dance performances by campus students. All in all it was a day that warmed up things for the final showdown on the concluding day. lifestyle@tribunemail.com
|
|
A man’s world From fairness cream to anti-aging lotions, the cosmetic industry finally opens up for men
Probably cosmetic industry was the only field where women had advantage over men. Anti- aging creams to take care of their wrinkles, sunscreens to rescue them from harsh UV rays and what not to make them look their best. And then came Shahrukh Khan, the saviour of the boy who stole girls’ fairness cream in an advertisement. The astute hero advises the boy to stick to only men’s fairness cream as that would render better results. Guess it was good enough a clue to indicate that men were catching the industry’s attention. As Hina Nagarajan, country manager, Mary Kay Cosmetics Pvt. Ltd India questions aptly, "Don’t men age with time or get tanned by the UV rays? Men too want to look good, so beauty products are as important for them as for women." It doesn’t come as a surprise then as she adds while launching the Mary Kay men’s grooming range and virtual makeover, "The company will be investing some $13.26 million on men’s products in the next five years. The men’s beauty industry is yet to be explored. They may prefer the metrosexual look today but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to look handsome and attractive." Telling us more about the products she adds, "Sunscreens, anti-aging creams and moisturisers have been manufactured keeping in mind the skin tones for men. Also there is Mary Kay range of colours for men." And there is something for women too. The virtual makeover concept will help them bring in some changes in their personality. "It is an online programme through which an individual can upload their photo and get a personalised makeover even on a daily basis," adds she. It will help people to buy only those products that suit them. "One can now come to know beforehand whether a haircolour, hairstyle or certain make up complements his personality or not," she adds. ashima@tribunemail.com
|
|
Marriage of convenience
Phillips opened its outlet with international standard products at Utility Engineers in Sector 35. According to Mohandeep Singh, director, Philips, the company is committed to provide consumers durable products. Recently Philips has launched one of the world’s best and fastest LCD screen. The UV water purifier range of Philips has bagged the best purifier award at UNESCO. Other than this it has also launched Bluetooth MP3 System. This launch has brought two leading companies together — Phillips and Godrej. Speaking at the inauguration Mohandeep said, “There has been an increasing demand from the consumers for high end appliances lately. Considering the vast range of Godrej appliances, we took a decision to become partner with this leading company in the consumer appliance space. We have full confidence that this alliance will be mutually beneficial.” |
|
For your eyes only
Velvette eye gear has also teamed up with Ashtavinayak's movie 'Blue', set to release in July this year. Available in many styles with colours for the male and female, the sunglasses are manufactured with lenses bearing 100 to 400 per cent ultraviolet protection. In plastic, these sunglasses are available in black, red, grey, brown, silver and blue colour. In metallic hues they are available in copper, black and multi shades of browns. All velvette eye gear products come with a one-year warranty. — TNS
|
|
Don’t be vanilla, just chill!
Many of the words used by teenagers today are incomprehensible to older generations. However, it is equally baffling for younger people trying to come to grips with the lexicon of their grandparents. Now, the two generations may finally be able to converse in harmony, thanks to the creation of a ‘gran slang’ dictionary. The dictionary, which features words like ‘telegram’ and ‘tomfoolery’ along with ‘hullabaloo’ and ‘poppycock’, can help young people understand their elders.
Words, such as ‘wag’ and ‘mint’, feature in both lists. Older people would consider a wag as a mischievous character while youngsters would see the partner of a footballer. Understanding is a two-way street and that is where the “gran slang” dictionary comes in. No longer will the word mint, used by young people to denote approval, be confused with a request for a hard-boiled, peppermint-flavoured sweet.
— ANI |
|
|
Do it right
In case of gladiolus, the spike must be straight and with maximum number of buds which may be around 20. There should be no gap between the florets and they should all be facing on one side. At least one third of the spike should be open. No floret should be diseased or have any damaging sign. Do not try to dye the spike, it is a disqualification. In case of dahlia, the central disc should not be visible. That means the bloom is ‘over’. The carnations should have the calyx (the cup holding the petals) intact and not ruptured due to bloom pressure. The antirrhinum (dog flower) and lupins should not have seeded pods at the base of the stick. This shows the bloom is ‘over’. Any new introduction of blooms in the ‘any other’ category is welcome. It always has an edge over others. |
|
Sumit Goel were honoured by Ravi Goel, joint director of PP jewellers on Tuesday here. Kanwaljit, working as an insurance agent with a private firm wishes to do modelling assignments in the future and Sumit, a graduate credits his friends for his achievement as they encouraged him to participate in the contest. — TNS Photo by Vinay Malik
|
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Talking of obsessions, well,
some things just cannot be explained and fascination with bags is one of
them. While they sure make a style statement and can make or mar a look.
"It’s the fancy and multi-hued clutches that are in demand. With
colours like red, blue, orange and green in vogue, it’s the sequin and
swarvoski-embedded clutches that are in demand," says Amit Sukeja,
manager, Mochi-17. Well, if you want something shimmering and classy, here
you can pick a Swarovski-embedded clutch for Rs 28,000.
Angelina Jolie might have lost out to Kate Winslet at the 81st Oscars in the best actress category but she was fashion critics' favourite to top the best-dressed
list.
Whoever heard, wrote or
believed in 'necessity is the mother of invention', couldn't have been
more way off. Isn't surfeit the 'big mommy' of invention? Doesn't
competition drive the innovation? The panel discussion troop can continue
contesting while we declare upfront. At least in the campus festival
entertainment industry, competition drives.
I don't think there's
anything wrong in young stars getting success or overnight success.
Talking of expectations, it would be wrong to equate appreciation with
expectation. Expectations often work to advantage, making a person give
his best shot.
I would say it has certainly
raised aspirations and expectations, as well. But not unrealistic. This
success should be taken in a positive way, even with all the pressure and
our apprehensions should be put on hold. It’s always healthy to have
expectations and this movie only raised the bar for us.
Undoubtedly the stars were
deserving. There's nothing wrong with young people getting overnight
success.
Velvette eye gear announced its grand summer 2009 collection for North India. After a fantastic run in its inaugural year, Velvette eye gear was introduced along with bollywoods movie Race. A vibrant collection for this summer, Velvette eye gear, is aiming to make sure that "Race-2" which is slated for release next year will also give the brand an equal recognition, this time with Kareena in the lead instead of Katrina.
Miss Chandigarh, Kanwaljit Kaur and Mr. Chandigarh.