Simply Punjabi
Legendary singer Kuldeep Manak pairs up with rap singer Punjabi MC for an album
It was rather strange - sitting on a chair, siphoned off all energy, Punjabi singing icon Kuldeep Manak adjusted his spectacles, opened a notebook, moved his gaze from left to right and then right to left. Memorising something? At this age the first thing to take leave is the memory. The legend was struggling with it now, I thought. But, it was a surprise beyond words. 'Action', director Navraj Raja shouted in the mike.

Kuldeep Manak with Punjabi MC. Photo: Nitin Mittal

Devotional notes
The Indian music, especially the devotional genre, emanates celestial serenity to a devout listener and makes him absorb and forgetful of any pangs and anxieties of life," claims Hamsar Hayat, music maestro excelling in devotional and filmy music. In the city, to perform at the Sai temple, Hamsar is credited with forty-two devotional and other albums.

Hamsar Hayat

A complete package
When your profile reads a classical singer, music composer, lyricist, playwright and actor, you are categorised as an artiste. Some take it in their stride and try to bask in the glory their multitalented personality begets, while others (the number is dangerously less) make a conscious effort to keep a low profile and let the world decide how they want to perceive. In case of Shekhar Sen, he was quite sure how the world wanted to know him as. "I want my audience to accept me as the character I play on stage, as Kabeer, Tulsidas and Vivekanand and not Shekhar Sen."

Brides made
It was a classic example of clothes stealing the show from a show-stopper. Designer J.J. Valaya's couture line at the ongoing Pearl's Infrastructure Delhi Couture Week was so impressive that it even overshadowed the presence of Bollywood actor Kangna Ranaut.

Another love story!
South Indian actor Trisha Krishnan has entered Bollywood following the trend of debuting with a leading man far older than her. In Khatta Meetha, she stars opposite 43-year-old Akshay Kumar. The age difference doesn't bother her. She is currently shooting a Tamil film opposite 55-plus Kamal Haasan. But for her second Hindi film, Trisha will be seen with 24-year-old Prateik Babbar. "The second Hindi film is a love story with just me and the guy in central roles. It's a subject that can't go wrong. I've already done the Tamil version of this film Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya. Now the same director, Gautham Menon, is remaking it in Hindi with Prateik and me," Trisha, 27, said. "I think we should be kick-starting it in August. I am excited because unlike Khatta Meetha, where I don't have a central part, this one has a central role for me."

Season styles
Today's trend is a combination of functionality and fashion. Comfort is a factor that must be taken into consideration and this is more so during summer and Monsoons. You must feel comfortable in whatever you wear, so that you can carry yourself well, with confidence. If you keep fidgeting with your clothes, or have shoes that pinch, how can you feel or look confident?

Feast & festivity
With so many specialised eating joints mushrooming up in the city, do we actually need food festivals?
We definitely do not need calendar-marked days to celebrate an occasion. Or, do we? The first option fits the bill. And talking about celebrations, a new kind of festival has caught our fancy. Though it is yet to be adopted by the government in the list of gazette holidays, it is a moving towards being a sought after thing in at least the tri-city. Any guesses? Well, it is food festivals. Who could have guessed it! Whether it is about celebrating the sinful aroma of biryani's from Hyderabad or tantalising flavours of colourful summer chillers or the so spicy palate pleasure of the Chinese meals, or the healthy gourmet delights laid tastefully for the guests, food festivals are catching fancy of city folks. On second thought, for a country that lives to eat, do we need a food festival to get hooked to a particular genre of food? We dig into to find out the hit or miss of the food festivals.

Stage-managed
Hollywood star Catherine Zeta-Jones is looking to expand her career on stage with a one-woman play after making her Broadway debut in A Little Night Music. Zeta-Jones performed on the New York stage for the first time last month when she began previews for the musical revival with Angela Lansbury.

Southern delights
Poompuhar is back again with its rich repertoire of authentic handicrafts from state of Tamilnadu. Artefacts in bronze, brass, stone, sandal wood and rose wood in day to day utility pieces like lamps, wall brackets, door handles, tableware, lamp shades as well as decorative items are on display at Panchayat Bhavan-18.

In sickness and health
It is quite usual for individuals who are recovering from a medical condition to avoid physical activity. They do it out of concern to avoid aggravating a problem. But if you're letting a medical problem keep you out of the gym, doctors believe you might further harm your health. Having a medical condition or illness needn't stop you from exercising. The prescription of dealing with a medical condition should always include physical activity. Exercising increases energy, strength, balance and coordination, plus it may ease the pain. Today, people with chronic, long-lasting problems are often advised to be as active as possible.

On the infertile ground
A major dilemma of today's fast-paced lifestyle is that it gives rise to health problems and diseases that are relatively unheard of. In this case, have you ever heard of endometriosis?

Yummy mummy
Hollywood actor Rachel Weisz feels sexier now she is a mother. The 39-year-old actor, who has a three-year-old son Henry with director fiance Darren Aronofsky, says going through labour made her more aware and comfortable with her body. "I feel sexier after having a baby. It makes you feel a lot more confident and appreciative of your body and what it's capable of doing. I've got a lot more respect for it," Weisz said. The Mummy star also said she has learned more about herself since entering her thirties.

Tanushree Dutta and Mandira Bedi walk on the ramp displaying a creation of fashion designer Sanjeet Anand and Swapnil Shinde during the Bangalore Fashion Week on Saturday night. PTI photo