Package deal
The production quality of books by Indian writers is fast improving.
We find out how….
The conversation began on a very casual note—how the book was written, the inspiration behind it, central idea, Indian literature, popularity of Indian authors…till a significant point was made, "Unlike earlier times, one can't make out from the cover page or printing quality whether the book is by an Indian author or not," asserted Chandrahas Choudhury, who was recently in the city for his book launch. We took the statement quite seriously, pondered over it, and sought opinions from those who have been closely observing the book scenario. Affirmative conclusions were drawn.
                         Chandrahas Choudhury

Brand bargain?
With discounts and deals galore, we check out whether people are game for it...
The afternoons are not that fiery, the winters are relatively cool, the warmth in the air says- we have already stepped into the festive mood. So, this means you wouldn’t mind splurging on a big screen television, high sound quality music system or an on the sleek fancy dual sim cell phone. Overspending, yeah. It’s bound to happen. Nevertheless, we wonder what leads to it, the exciting offers on electronic gadgets or our incapability to satiate our desire to shop till we drop.

GEEK SPEAK
Handle with care
Take care of a few basic details, like the battery and the laptop AC power adaptor cord if you want your computer to last long
Just a few years back laptop computers were very expensive and uncommon, those laptops once bought did not required to be replaced by a newer model for years and now at present, just after a few months of your purchase we start getting an urge to upgrade to a newer and more advance model, all because of the quick developments in technology but at the same time it’s essential to keep up to date on products, a lot of the times a new version of a computer or mp3 player is essentially the same thing as the one before it, and there’s no need to rush out and get a new laptop.

GizmOH!
Shoppers Stop
Do you think the festival discounts on gizmos, like cellphones and laptops, are genuine or do they just lure you into overspending?
Genuineness rules
This is the time of the year time when everyone wishes to enjoy and thus accordingly, people make good spending plans. Since every company wishes to attract as much customers as possible, they resort to giving festival discounts in anticipation. Therefore, I feel that the companies are really genuine when they offer the festive discounts.”

Twitter tales
I’m not on Twitter or any network: Katrina Kaif
She is planning to launch her official website by the end of the year, but Katrina Kaif denies being on the social networking site Twitter and says someone has been impersonating her. “Something has to be done to stop this sort of vandalism. I am not on Twitter or any other social networking website. I plan to start my own website by the end of the year,” said Katrina.

Shoot at sight
The photography exhibition at Alliance Française epitomizes the power of lens
Camera captures everything, anything, ambiguity, eternity, infinity, in short, life itself. The nervousness, silence, synchronisation, fear…no words can be apt for the abstract.


The towering nature, the overpowering mountains. Photos: Manoj Mahajan

Tune in
Three gold medals for three consecutive years in folk music category at the interuniversity meet, twice in top five of Awaaj Punjab Di television reality show and topper in the A.I.R national competition is by no means a meager achievement for young prodigious Jagir Singh. Many old memories surfaced in his mind as he rose to be bestowed with national honour at GND University for his hat trick in musical excellence (especially the wrath from his uncle Surinder Singh who forcibly initiated Jagir into music realm).                                 Photo: S. Chandan

Ready recliner
Finally, the class comfort of the western sitting rooms and offices has landed in the tricity, courtesy, the Glass Palace. They have unveiled Lazboy—the world’s patented original recliner sofas. “Lazboy, is set to take the sedentary lifestyles of city to a new high,” says Vikram Gupta, the owner. “Lazboy will be a valued comfort asset for the senior citizens as well, as they would get to sit back and relax,” he added.

Bride made
Manish Malhotra flaunts "Runaway Bride" at the LFW in Mumbai
After two luke-warm days at the Lakme Fashion Week here, Bollywood designer Manish Malhotra gave the five-day extravaganza its much-needed flavour - a dramatic show themed around a bride walking out of her wedding.Malhotra showcased an unusual bridal collection, which moved away from using the traditional red colour symbolic of a wedding to beige, off-white, olive green and coffee browns."My collection is about a bride who walks out of her own wedding to a better future, to a positive tomorrow because she feels its not the right thing for her," Malhotra, who received a thunderous applause for the collection, told mediapersons after the show.
Models display designer Manish Malhotra's creations during the Lakme Fashion Week, in Mumbai. PTI Photo

Man-o-man

(Left) Royal blue: Actor John Abraham presents a creation by Indian designer Rocky S on the third day of Lakme India Fashion Week in Mumbai. Photo: Reuters; (Right)Style Check: Shreyash Talpade walks the ramp for designer Digvijay Singh's at LFW. Photo: PTI

Out of the Blue
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan took everyone on the sets of Blue by surprise when he walked in to meet Akshay Kumar.The team of Blue was shooting for a special number Fikrana with Akshay and Zayed Khan at Floor number one in Film City in suburban Mumbai.

Believe it or not
I was shy and full of pimples as a teenager, says John Abraham
Bollywood hunk John Abraham was very shy as a school boy and would never look at girls eye-to-eye because of his pimples."I used to be very shy...there was a time when my face was full of pimples and I never used to look up when in the company of girls so much so that they used to feel that I was such a shy, sweet, decent boy.

Comic act
I don't mind the comedian tag, says Govinda
Comedy may be an "undervalued" genre in Bollywood but actor Govinda embraces the moniker of 'comedian', so often attached to him, with pride though his future plans include an action film. While most Bollywood stars are averse to being stereotyped, Govinda says he does not mind the tag at all.

Spade work
Bug bite
Most of them were hiding somewhere, like most of us wanted to do during summer months. Now when the weather is good we want to move out and enjoy, so do they. This is the time for them to be active, to feed and breed; yes, I am talking about insects that become active at this time. But why particularly this time?