It’s DIFFERENT
Some eating joints in the city promise an experience beyond the Punjabi tadka
Different. It's a word universally acknowledged as the easiest way to sell anything — from the weirdest ideas to the simplest of things made complex by adding the word different. Anyways, when it comes to food, the usage of the word maximises. Most of us know that we are being forced to experience the same 'different' stuff over and over again — Punjabi version of Chinese, Continental, Mediterranean, Italian and other cuisine.
Dolly Kaur and Gurtej Singh Virk at Café Oz

Golden verses
In the citation on Padma Bhushan, he's nomenclatured as a revolutionary poet. If not this; if not even his couplets, then this anecdote brings home the message on Sardar Anjum. "Whenever you fill a form, there's this religion column. In that column I'd always write music. When I was to get admission in St. Xavier's Mumbai, they'd stopped my form initially and I was like — I'm as it is a revolutionary, they must've stopped my form for something."

Sardar Anjum

Don’t be judgemental
Take your own call on Raavan, says Vikram
Tamil actor Vikram, who portrayed contrasting characters in two versions of ace director Mani Ratnam’s latest flick Raavan feels the movie should not be judged by what others say. “People have their own opinion. Some might say it is good, some might say it is bad. But please do not judge the movie by what others say, Please go and watch the movie,” Vikram, who acted as Dev and Veera in the Hindi and Tamil versions said.

A still from Raavan

Just for thrills
Cameron Diaz loves her adventurous job in London
Hollywood actress Cameron Diaz loves acting because it gives her the chance to reinvent herself and play different characters onscreen. The 37-year-old star compares acting to adventure.

Rising star
Indian actress Freida Pinto is in talks to star opposite Spider Man star James Franco in the Rise of the Apes, the prequel to the Planet of the Apes. The 25-year-old actress, who shot to global fame with her small role as Latika in Danny Boyle's multiple-Oscar- winning film Slumdog Millionaire, will play Caroline, a primatologist in the 20th Century Fox movie.

It’s a boring job
British actor Robert Pattinson, who shot to fame after playing vampire Edward Cullin in Twilight series, says filming for the franchise can be boring.

Ever Ready
Salman Khan-Asin starrer Ready directed by Anees Bazmi is being shot in the picturesque locales. The 44-year-old star was overwhelmed by the reception that he got from the people of Sri Lanka when he arrived for the IIFA function which convinced him to shoot his upcoming film. He, who was here as the as the Brand Ambassador of Hands for Humanity charity project, was surprised to see that people were not only interested in Bollywood and its stars, but were also well- versed with the details of their personal life, report said. Earlier, Southern film industry had warned Bollywood stars of boycott if they attended that IIFA function in Sri Lanka.

Salman Khan

Voice over
My Hindi is very good: Trisha Krishnan
South Indian actress Trisha Krishnan who makes her entry in Bollywood with Akshay Kumar starrer Khatta Meetha, is fluent in Hindi but the actress is not dubbing in the new film. Trisha's voice is being dubbed by a professional in this Priyadarshan directed film because the actress, who plays collector, was required to have a perfect diction.

Charged up
Bright, vibrant and gaudy colours are the latest trend this summer
Where does fashion begin? Most people would agree on the ramp, with various designers setting the trends for the season. And this time, monochrome has made an early start with electric colours like yellow, blue, green and purple ruling the roost.

Take your pick
After an overwhelming response to the festival of shawls and MMTC gold items, Phulkari (Punjab State Emporium)-17 has now come upwith an exhibition-cum-sale of its new summer collection (June 21 to 30). And on display is a wide range of items, including sarees, suits, dupattas, kurtis, t-shirts, bedsheets, gift items and more. The main attraction is stuff with chikankari embroidery such as taipchi, bakhia, phanda, murri, jali and hatkati.
Customers at the Phulkari-17

Punjabi by choice
Parminder, a city-based actor, is all set to make his mark in an upcoming serial
A Punjabi NRI visits his family in India after many years. The event is marriage of a cousin. Then begins a property dispute, a conspiracy, a murder followed by many more conspiracies and lies. Typical TV soap masala that can't go wrong. So, Parminder, a city based young actor, has every reason to be a part of it, even if he has to give up his career as a Radio Jockey. He's planning to move to Mumbai as soon as the shooting for the serial, Suno Sajna for Colors begins. About his role, he says, "I play the role of the NRI who gets killed in the tenth episode of the serial." The duration of screen presence doesn't bother him much, "What's important is to get a break in the glamour world. Once you are there and work reasonably well, producers will notice you."

Art extravaganza
Adding a new dimension to the concept of theatre festivals being held in the city, the Natya Toli (The People's Theatre), Panchkula, and Sandli Pairan Kala Kendra (SPKK) have teamed up for a Multi-Art Theatre Festival from July 2-4. Parveen Jaggi, director SPKK theatre ensemble, opines that drama is a collective art form and demands involvement of people from all walks of life.

Members of the Natya Toli, Panchkula, and Sandli Pairan Kala Kendra

Play it right!
While working one need not look worked out! For the cool moves at work, John Players presents an exquisitely designed collection of formal wear this season. A contemporary collection in an exciting mix of colours, trendy styling & fits adds an extra edge to one's sense of style. The collection offers slim-fit and regular shirts in cotton, ideal to wear at work. With micro checks and herringbone structures, the shirts come in a balanced color palette of pastel to striking shades. A range of 'evening darks' shirts are perfect for evenings out with colleagues or even a formal dinner. The bottoms in self structures and subdued stripes come in regular fits with tones of dark olive, navy, charcoal grey, khaki and beige. Accentuating the appeal of the entire collection is the meticulously crafted collection of 'Summer Whites' shirts, a must-have in your wardrobe.

Time out
There's rarely any example of something like this — the prime motive replaced by the secondary and yet the popularity increasing manifold! "Watches aren't worn these days to keep a track of time. They are meant to be flaunted," says Ajoy Chawla, vice- president, retail, Titan Industries.

Order wise
Birth order generally determines character traits as well as the choice of career
One's personality is a complex mix of many factors and studies increasingly point towards the 'birth order', which shape up some of these traits. A recent study in Britain points out that the order in which children are born can determine their career paths later. The first-born child is likely to become a rockstar, while the middle one stands the highest chance of becoming a PM while the youngest child is most likely to become an actor, says the study.

Relatively Speaking
First come, first served

Brand smart
Carrying a Victoria's Secret shopping bag can make you feel like a gorgeous and glamorous woman, according to a new research, which says that certain brands have personalities that can actually change the way some people feel about themselves. "Why are brands such as Cartier, Harley-Davidson, and Nike so well-liked by consumers? One of the reasons is that they have appealing personalities. Using brands with appealing personalities can rub off on the way consumers see themselves, even if the brand is used for only a short time," say authors Deborah Roedder John and Ji Kyung Park (both University of Minnesota).

Being spiritual
Youth define spirituality in terms of positive behaviours, feelings and relationships, an American study analysing the differences between spirituality and religion in adolescents has revealed. Anthony James, a student in the University of Missouri Department of Human Development and Family Studies , who is undertaking the research said: "Ultimately, we want to determine the impact of spirituality on positive youth development, including self-esteem and pro-social behaviour, and if it buffers against negative or risky behaviour.

Renee Writes
Try again
I am a 25-year-old very strong girl and an MBA aspirant. I fell in love with a guy who is pursuing MBA. He would chase me all the time. His classmates got jealous and started to ask irrelevant questions. I went into a depression. Now I have found that he is having a relationship with another girl. I am still very interested in him and would like to marry him. He has contacted me on a community site. There he told me he is in love with someone else. Why should he bother to get in touch if this is so? I still love him and want to marry him. I am confused. Please advise.