CENTRESTAGE
Shabana Azmi, Nadira Babbar and Sarita Joshi give a new meaning to the term social activism. Neha Walia finds out more
Me against myself - the words may sound philosophical, but that's how Shabana Azmi defines herself…in Girish Karnad's play Broken Images and in real life. In the city, after performing her solo act at the Chandigarh Theatre Festival, the actor was at her candid best talking theatre, films, social responsibility and much more. "We always talk about theatre as a tool of communication, but want to confine it just to entertainment. Rather, it has the power to build a climate of sensitivity amongst the audience and raising the bar for the artiste."

Their show
Between them, they share more than just being a woman. The passion to bring about a change, living life on their own terms, running a one-woman show in their field and, of course, their love for theatre. So, when they joined hands, Indian theatre had a reason to celebrate in Sakubai. Nadira Babbar decided to write down an ode to the most important but the least acknowledged part of the society, and Sarita Joshi brought it live on stage.

Slim chance
Her bikini sequence in Aisha has gained her plenty of new fans but actress Ira Dubey says that in the past she was often rejected for being too thin.The actor plays Pinki Bose, the fearless fashionista who is best friend to Sonam Kapoor's Aisha in the film and had the last laugh as her slim frame helped her carry off the bikini.

One Day with Anne
Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway is winning over locals while filming a new movie in London by embracing the hard-partying pub scene. Hathaway is currently in the British capital working on an adaptation of David Nicholls' novel, One Day, and has spent her time off relaxing in the Prince Arthur pub in Hackney, East London. The Devil Wears Prada star impressed the bar staff and regulars at a recent late-night party when she took the microphone and performed an impromptu cabaret set into the early hours.

Lend him an ear…
Sharman Joshi, who said a few lines in the song "Give me some sunshine" in the hit film 3 Idiots, says he won't mind singing for a film in future.

Puppy love
Actor Arjun Rampal has added a new member to his house - a puppy. "Today (Sunday) is a very special day, got our new pup Gangsta in the house, drove to Lonavala with the 3 Ms (wife Meher and daughters - Mahikaa and Myra). The whole family is super excited, yippee!" Rampal posted on social networking site Twitter.

Future line-up
Hollywood actor Will Smith's children Jaden and Willow are reportedly in talks to get their own fashion line in the future.

No reunion for Sean
Hollywood actor Sean Penn has denied reports that he has reunited with ex-girlfriend and model Jessica White.

Naantheless
Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt chose Indian naan and butter chicken over gourmet cuisine during his solitary trip to New Zealand.

Set to bond
Hollywood actor Cameron Diaz bonded with her Knight and Day co-star Tom Cruise's four-year-old daughter Suri on the sets of the movie.The actor had his daughter and wife Katie Holmes on set most days while shooting the comedy action movie and Diaz was very impressed by Suri's imaginary bakery shop.

True to IMAGE
It was indeed a rendezvous of cinema with theatre as renowned film actor Shabana Azmi gave a sterling performance while enacting a double role in the play Broken Images at the Tagore theatre on Monday. Noted director Alyque Padamsee’s vision and technical skills were showcased for the city audience when he portrayed the two Shabanas — one live and the other projected on a TV screen — during the play.

Sound notes
In the city, singer, composer and song-writer Mehsopuria talks of his love for anything Punjabi
Whatever happened to the sensibilities of Punjabi music videos! Gabrus (feeble frames with patent chidi hairstyles) painting the city on macho looking bikes, a few burly looking guys huddled up in a gypsy flaunting the old yet very popular ‘dunali’. Or cut to a shady discotheque with girls gyrating around the singer, generally two left feet, absolutely lost. What’s with the Punjabi music videos? Singer, composer, song-writer, musician, Mehsopuria from Birmingham has a similar take on it. In city for the recording of his album under the label of Universal Music, the singer of Ranjha Jogi Ho Gaya would rather act in videos that are musically sound and portray Punjab in the right sense. 

Tradition lost
In the realm of art, the code of conduct for the age-old guru-shishya tradition has suffered a dilution 
Guru Govind Dono Khade Kaake Lagoon Paye/ Balihari Guru Aap Ke Jin Govind Diyo Milaye.” Since times immemorial, the guru (teacher) has been venerated as wisdom incarnate, ideal and supreme. It was imperative for the shishya (student) to seek the guru’s blessings before any endeavour. “Although times have changed and many feel the age-old ‘guru-shishya’ tradition is diluting, to me it holds as much sanctity today as it did when I was a disciple of Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan and Inayat Hussain Khan Saheb,” claims Pandit Yashpaul, foremost classical vocalist of Agra gharana and holder of A-Plus grading as an AIR singer.

Brewing happiness
Everyone is looking for ways to express their bonds of friendship, where a warm gesture or touching gift can say so much about how much they mean to each other. An essential catalyst to countless friendships over the past 14 years, Café Coffee Day has rolled out another great initiative to make things happen for friends in the run up to Friendship Day.

On their own course 
For the majority, job-oriented courses are a priority. But for some, it’s wisdom that scores over everything else
Isn’t everyone out to be an academic clone? The multiple career choice runs between MBA, MBBS, at maximum… media studies. Or is it that the sheer economics of commerce suits? With admissions over, orientations begun, once again the mainstream got lost in the haze of percentiles and cut offs.

Stress buster!
Be involved in community service, that’ll help give back to the society what you have. Avoid any kind of stress or tension by staying in the present moment. Don’t think about the future or the past. Give your hundred per cent to whatever you’re doing.” instructions come loud and clear from Pratibha Chhabra, Art of Living trainer.

Confidence helps
Teachers with higher confidence levels help pre-schoolers gain more language and literacy skills, a new study says.

Delinquent diaries
Children who fall foul of the law early in life don’t necessarily take to a life of crime later on. This is one of the findings of the Marburg child delinquency study, reports l Deutsches Ärzteblatt International. Helmut Remschmidt and Reinhard Walter of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Philipps University in Marburg, Germany, conducted the research.