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Threadbare
The festivals of India have something in common. Of course, there would a zillion heart-felt answers to this observation - colour, joy, and feeling of oneness, harmony…. more patriotic and sober answers follow.
Nevertheless, can you come up with one common factor that relates to all the festivals - Indian and foreign (Valentine is still a videshi festival)? All you business people, marketing, sales, advertising should be able to come with it! Pause. Gifts, in all shapes, sizes and forms, are the one thing common to all festivals. (Dare you meet your girlfriend without a chic gift on Valentine's Day and dare you not buy a New Year gift for your wife!). How about giving it a closer look? The gift market for festivals is growing and ever-growing! Even an occasion like Rakhi, which was restricted to a Sindhi ki mithai or chocolates, has taken a big leap. Things that one would otherwise include 'family shopping list' like almirah, crockery, curtains, to nothing less than a Nokia N 97 or a Blackberry are now on the Rakhi gift list! Today, all you brothers should think twice before picking a gift for your sister. It is quiet possible she has seen the new advertisement - 'gift your sister a Samsung washing machine or an apartment this rakhi.' What! Arindam Bose, co-founder and chief customer officer, timtara.com - online retailer that also presents a specially created and customised Rakshabandhan gift catalogue with a wide range of beautifully designed rakhis and delightful gifts options) - "There has been a dramatic shift in demand for Raksha Bandhan gifts. Today, people want variety, choice, best deals and convenience, all in one go. At timtara, we believe in offering 360-degree delight factor to our consumers throughout. We have created our Raksha Bandhan package with gifting options that would fulfil the needs of both brothers and sisters across the nation." Arindam only validates for the growing gift market, translating into huge business for people, packaging it smartly in the name of 'creativity coupled with concern'. If timtara offers sweets, chocolates, mobile phones, cameras at attractive prices, companies like Godrej Interio and Philips have lined up photo frames, fragrant pot pourri, flower vases, lamps, bean-bags, bed linens, hair dryers on the gift list! Where goes the humble mithai? "It is a two way thing," says Subodh Mehta, chief general manager, marketing, Home Business. "People go by the trends in the market and likewise the market also upgrades itself as per the changing attitude of people. The gift market is definitely increasing. Earlier, it was only special occasions that would call for gifting, but now people do not want to miss out on any occasion of exchanging gifts." As far as Godrej is concerned, they entered the home furnishing market 7-8 years back, and Raksha Bandhan to them is an occasion to showcase what their options. Marketing strategy is what this sounds as, and comes across too. Why would you have PC Jewellers launching gold rachis, starting from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000, and jewellery items such as pendants, chains, bracelets and earrings priced between Rs 3,000 to Rs 20,000? Answers Manoj Aggarwal, the franchisee holder for PC Jewellers, "Nowadays people give hi-end gifts, and gold rakhis is on the same lines. It is a good investment and one can always get something else made after a while. And it sure makes for a good gifting option." Where do we draw the line with emotions getting a gift-wrap and forwarded under the 'display of affection' tag called
gifts! jasmine@tribunemail.com |
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Ode to brotherhood!
Spare a thought for universal brothers this Raksha Bandhan. They promise security, safety, money, fame…a simple thread can work wonders! Tie them a rakhi and see how they bring happiness to your life.
And why go far… ashima@tribunemail.com |
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No confusion!
Peri Peri tasty From the Australian outback to the exotic South Africa - if you've got the taste, Café Oz has the menu. The latest addition to their tucker menu takes a detour from Down Under and brings the delicacy of South Africa - peri peri chicken - for the Punjabi palate. "It is our effort to diversify our menu and offer recipes that are exclusive. Peri Peri chicken is one such delicacy, new to this part of the country and served nowhere else in the region. We will be expanding to other dishes after this," says Gurtej Virk, owner, Café Oz-9.
Music and its manifestations - underground, reggae, western classical, Indian classical, Rap…anything that you could call a rhythm becomes music. And like that wasn't enough, we got in the trend of fusion. A genre that offers more than our mind can actually register. So, what's the difference if you hear a soft rock blend with classical or jazz mixed with R&B?
"A world between them. Fusion is no confusion, but an attempt to experiment and expose new genres to the audience. The concept should not be misunderstood but the originality should be appreciated," says Abhimanyu, the lead vocalist of Desi Sultans, a city-based rap group. And clearing the confusion, Desi Sultans will face a musical battle against Ankit Balhara, another young musician and the finalist of Sa Re Ga Ma 2003 at the Friday Live at Café Oz-9. It will be a fusion of classical with aggression of Rap. "The 'jugalbandi' will have original compositions by us and live music mixing by DJ Rohit on the turntable," informs Ankit. It was the love for music and passion for innovation that brought them together as a band. "As musicians we wanted to promote original and different music, and not just copy something that sells. Even in fusion the concept should be clear and the basics should not be forgotten," says Abhimanyu. And so after solo albums, popular music and few gigs, Desi Sultans and Ankit came together for this one. "Tried and tested works, but for how long? Eventually, there is a market that wants different music, fusion and more international tunes," he makes a point. There is more. With the fusion comes a message attached. Launching their first commercial album, Desi Sultans have more than just music on their agenda. "Ours is meaningful music, rhythm and poetry (that's what rap means actually). There are a lot of issues that we take up with our music - saving tigers, motivating the youth by references to revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad etc." For that, they are even open to the idea of collaborating with NGOs and produce music that acts as an agent of social change. As for the other change, the so-called reality show talent hunts, there's nothing much for them. Even as Ankit was a part of one, "They are no more talent hunts, but reality shows that cash in on the emotional quotient of the participants and make money. Winning one doesn't assure success. There is a lot of hardwork involved in getting what you aspire for. In my case, I worked harder after Sa Re Ga Ma and experimented with my musical sensibilities, right from classical to soft rock to popular music." But, he doesn't rule out Bollywood. "I don't want to be just a singer, but an entertainer," he says. No confusion
there! nehawalia@tribunemail.com |
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Lead on!
How often have you been startled, shocked and scandalised for a split second when a car screeches to a halt right in front of you? A strange face comes from behind the window with a strange query - 'which side is Sector 34.' Better still, 'Mrs Dhir, 138-A waley, unka ghar kis side ko hai.' We bet it takes a while to register and answer such a query.
Most of times, we are also clueless, unless we have mugged the geography of the city. Now, this one's the problem. And the answer to it lies in a solution called Mapmyindia, a GPS and location-based service provider launched in the city by Rohan Verma, director, Maymyindia. Mapmyindia provides latest maps, version 5.0, which for the first time in India includes house level details for cities in addition to large directory of 3 million places backed by highly accurate, detailed and premium quality navigation maps and data. Shares Rohan, "The version 5.0 MapmyIndia makes possible door-to-door navigation to residential house addresses as well as local business, offices, apartments and tourist places. For example, if a tourist or someone visiting Chandigarh wants to have a coffee at Coffee Shop, Sector-17, all it takes is to feed the detail in the navigator and it will take you bang on to the place, turn by turn, with spoken voice instructions in Hindi, English and Punjabi." So, now you don't need to bother strangers or get bothered yourself! Rohan who has conceptualised and created MapmyIndia.com in 2004, after completing his first year of college at Stanford University, USA, feels that the challenge of road travel in India has always been the last mile - travellers waste a lot of time trying to locate the exact house number. "In version 5.0 MapmyIndia has added many more features, which bring mass appeal to GPS navigation, such as inclusion of a comprehensive and exhaustive directory of 3 million places across 52 categories (offices, restaurants, clubs, apartments, hotels, petrol pumps, ATM), which can be found easily through MapmyIndia predictive search," he adds. In addition, the service also offers a range of GPS navigation products for in-car as well as the mobile. What in case of a change in address? "Simple," says Rohan, "MapmyIndia maps are continuously refreshed, updated and made accurate through our 400 field surveyors and 150 map specialist engineers."
jasmine@tribunemail.com |
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FLAMEboyant
Darvesh Fire and Safety Industries, a division of Darvesh Group, has launched its ultra portable flame inhibitor- FireKiller. It is a revolutionary aerosol dispenser that is of tremendous value while subduing and extinguishing fires.
An internationally patented product of Space Age Technology, the FireKiller is a non-toxic, non-pressurised, completely green product that comes with a life time guarantee. What's unique about the FireKiller is that once bought, it requires absolutely no maintenance, and hence has no hidden or additional costs. Tested and approved by international laboratories, the FireKiller is also very unique product in terms of its size, as it is extremely compact and lightweight (250-600gms). It leaves no residue on the surface it is applied to, and can be used in almost any environment for class A B and C type of fire. Speaking on the occasion, Talib Hassan Darvesh, executive director, Darvesh Group, said, "The environment and its upkeep has always been a topic of immense interest in India. At Darvesh, we are constantly looking at new ways to bring international best practices and the latest technology to our customers. In taking this notion further, we are launching the Firekiller - a practical and portable flame suppressant, which is also environmentally safe." Firekiller does not produce any "organic accumulation" and its activation time is almost immediate. FireKiller is suitable for both indoor and outdoor usage such as homes, offices, automobiles, boats, campsites and workshops to name a few. It is capable of extinguishing fires in different classes such as solid material, ordinary combustibles, gaseous category objects, cable galleries and electronic devices. The FireKiller is available in three models-5B household and commercial model, 8B household and commercial model, and 13B industrial
models. — TNS |
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Face off
Netizens could soon be able to identify people from photographs posted on the internet, all thanks to a revolutionary software being developed by Face.com. Face.com, the software company produced technology that can identify individuals on social networking sites and online galleries by comparing their image against a known picture of them.
This would mean that detailed profiles of individuals can be built up purely from online photographs and critics have said it could lead to exploitation by employers. The software works by creating an algorithm of the face - a measurement of the arrangement of features including the eyes, nose and mouth. The company says it is 90 per cent accurate when scanning typical images, which appear on social networking sites. Face.com has previously limited the availability of the software over concerns about invasion of privacy. But it has now released the Photo Finder software to developers building applications allowing people to search for anyone on the Internet. "We have launched a service that allows developers to take our facial recognition technology and apply it immediately to their own applications," the Daily Mail quoted. Gil Hirsch, chief executive of Face.com, as telling The Sunday Times: "The technology is already being used by 5,000 developers. You can basically search for people in any photo. "You could search for family members on Flickr, in newspapers, or in videos on YouTube - but it would take a lot of processing power," he added. The use of facial detection technology has only been used by the UK Border Agency. Supporters of the software, including the Red Cross, have said it could be used to track people lost in humanitarian disasters. But there are strong concerns over the accuracy of the technology and its impact on privacy.
— ANI |
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Lava B5, the latest model from Lava bears the rupee symbol in its keypad. Incidentally B5 is also the first phone with world's first Alpha keypad with keys arranged in ABCD order. There was a lot of discussions regarding the time period required to incorporate the "" symbol in computer or mobile keypad. The estimated time varied from 6 months to two years. "We took this as challenge to ensure that Indians can type "" symbol long before than the anticipated time. Around the occasion of Independence day announcing the incorporation of "" symbol in the mobile keypad will be a tribute from Lava family to the entire nation. The currency symbol on the keypad of their mobiles will make millions of Indian proud. We are happy to be the catalysts of spreading this spirit," says SN Rai, co founder and director, Lava Mobile. — TNS
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Titanic move
Scientists are hoping to virtually raise the doomed ship Titanic sitting on the floor of the North Atlantic by using 3D technology to map the wreckage site for the first time. A team of experts are set to reconstruct a detailed picture of the remains with cutting-edge robots, acoustic imaging, sonar technologies and high resolution optical, video and 3D imaging. The images will map out the entire wreckage site of the sunken transatlantic liner, much of which has never been seen before.
"About 40 percent we think - maybe 50 percent - of the Titanic site has never been looked at," the Sun quoted co-expedition leader Dave Gallo, director of special projects at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the world's largest private non-profit oceanographic organisation, as saying. "Everything to this point has been pretty much exploration, or adventure. We want to go into this area and understand where everything is and how it got there. It's going to be like the CSI of the underwater world," he stated. The RMS Titanic was the world's biggest passenger liner when it left Southampton, England, for New York on its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912. Four days into the trip, the ship hit an iceberg and sank, taking more than 1,500 passengers with it. Its whereabouts remained a mystery until 1985, when it was discovered several hundred miles off the coast of Newfoundland. Two teams, each consisting of about 30 experts, will conduct research, such as investigating whether micro-organisms collected at the site are distant relatives of those that went down with
Titanic. — ANI |
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Code secure
Haute pick Package deal The Asus Eee keyboard PC is completely unique, with an inbuilt PC. It can be connected to an external monitor, projector or HD television and can be used as a desktop or a laptop. Its five-inch 800x480 multi-touch panel on the right of main keyboard can be set to control onscreen activity to display quick launch keys, which enables users to easily access multiple
programmes. It can also display the media player interface; allowing you to browse, select, and play songs with the tap of a finger. Specifications
A laptop has become more of a necessity in today's world, as one needs access to the Internet and other important data at all times. But it is important to remember that the same problem of data recovery, spyware and viruses, which affect your desktop, can also ruin your laptop. Therefore, keeping your laptop secure is of prime importance. Here are a few tips.
Protecting your laptop
Carry your laptop in a dull, uninteresting case, which does not attract the attention of petty thieves. It is a known fact that the majority of laptops are stolen from airports, railway stations or when one is travelling. Criminals work in teams of two or more to take advantage of situations when you take your eye off your machine. So never let your laptop go out of sight while you are traveling.
Always take a laptop on board a plane with you. Never check it into the language cargo section. When it comes to your own vehicle, don't leave a laptop on the car seat in the parking lot.
If you're working in an office or some other area where you may have to get up and walk about whilst you're using your laptop, either always take it with you or use a protective lock to chain it firmly to something solid.
Protecting the data
In this modern era, 'educated' thieves look for the data on your computer rather than just the hardware is. For them, information is more important than anything else.
If you have some sensitive and important information saved on your laptop, always keep it locked.A better option is to store your confidential information on an external storage device such as a memory stick, CD-ROM or even an external hard drive, and keep that separate from the laptop.
That way, even if the laptop is stolen, your data will still be safe. Even if the information is not particularly sensitive, it makes sense to keep it on an external storage device. There are all kinds of software programmes available in the market these days for the protection of your data, but the best way is to always remain vigilant. |
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Home front Tiptalk "A home is for living," says Namita S Singh who is in the field of architecture since the last four decades. With Interiors Today Best Architect Award (1993), Gem of India Award (1995), Kalpana Chawla Excellence Award (2009), Mahila Rattan and many more awards to her credit, Namita loves to create spaces designed around one's activities. "I am in favour of houses that let you enjoy different seasons," she says. Not very happy about the architecture today, which divorces one from the outdoors, Namita says, "Even in the smallest of the houses, one can create corners to make most of what outdoors have to offer." Her abode not only provides space for various activities that the family members love to do but also keeps in mind the needs of her two cats - Chittu and
Kalu, who have three cat doors to allow them to move freely.
Ostentatious is a word that one would not associate with either her persona or her home. Spread over five kanals, city's leading architect Namita Satnam's house in Sector 10 optimises the natural elements. Done in muted colours and adorned with antiques, living in the lap of nature is what it feels to be at her place.
Merging with the landscape is three levels, low-lying façade of the house in red bricks. Stone paved veranda in a green, shady lawn with a water fountain under a willow that covers a small lotus pond. The inside of the house merges with the outside. A huge tree, ferns, white pebbles under the water fountains make for the inner courtyard. The formal living area overlooks the pool that has a huge mural running across the wall. Done in 3- D it gives illusion of a different world with its jharokha and gardens. "I did not want to have a wall for the boundary that constricts the home. So is this mural that gives a feeling of a world beyond," shares Namita. She found inspiration for this from theatre screens. "From my childhood I had memory of painting these screens for the plays. This mural is just an extension of that," she adds. Family lounge is a big area that extends to a covered wooden deck with a jhula'. Glass screen makes it extend almost to the garden that further overlooks the green cover. The sound of wind chimes transports one to a dreamland in nature. "I like to make most of what nature offers. All my designs use natural light. Our inner courtyard on the pattern of an old haveli gives excellent ventilation. I need not use air conditioners all through the summer, it's only during Monsoons that we use one," says Namita. The family lounge has snug seating, informal dining area, a full wall for the books and a separate TV area. Family's love for reading is visible with various corners dedicated to shelf books across the house. The master bedroom seems to be perched on a patch of green. "It feels great to open the blinds in the morning. My home fulfils my dream of living in a forest," smiles Namita. The house is sprawling and its décor is subtle. Formal living area has elegant furniture dressed in off white raw silk. On can find ornate, wooden chests, tall Maharaja chairs and heavy metal pieces decorated tastefully around the house. "Most of things are from my grandfather's collection," shares Namita. She even got small bricks from her ancestral house for their sentimental value. Split in different levels, the house makes most of the natural, light, air and materials. "People come and say we love your house, I reply even I love it," twinkles Namita in all her
innocence! mona@tribunemail.com |
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Plenty of space or no space at all, if you are a gardener, you will be needing planters and stands for plant display. Those living on upper stories do need them more.
It is not only specific for the resident gardeners, even at any premises, be it a hospital, club or a school, you need them. There are two types of planters or stands, one fixed and the others movable.
Planters are made using wood, brass, steel etc. The lasting ones are those made using metals. In case of wooden planters, however good material you may use, after some time the wood gets affected by water and it gets spoiled.
As a small 10 inches pot, kept in a big planter will look odd and vice versa. Or else, your plant specimen should be well grown and heavy. It is also important to make sure that the planters do not leak.
Mostly when we keep pots in planters we should still use base plates. This will give your planter a long life.
Moreover, those living in the upper stories will do a favour to those living in the lower floors as after some time the planters start leaking. Myth of the week Social menace The white ants can be killed using chemicals. In fact, the chemicals used are the repellents that make the white ants shift their place of attack temporarily. The white ants are social insects and live in large colonies. The treatment has to be thorough and all through the garden. The white ant tunnels are made horizontal to the ground and the treatment only makes them shift side. It is also advised to give repeated treatment especially in plant growth periods i.e. March-April and August-September. These are the times when mostly new plants are planted and these have to saved initially. Stands are more frequently used as these are needed in almost every garden even when there is plenty of space. Normally, the area along the drive in the house and elsewhere is decorated with plants and there you need them. The stands are available in simple or fancy designs. Where there is space constraint, vertical or wall stands could also be used. Use of stands makes it possible for the gardener to clean the area below it. In these cases too, one should use the base plates to capture any excess water. After some time, the stands start losing paint and if left that way, no matter however beautiful plant you have on the display, it loses sheen. It is better to paint the stands white, black or green. While selecting stands for hanging purpose, make sure it is made of a light material and the pots etc placed on it are also made of light material, preferably the small plastic pots.
The writer is a PAU horticulturist and can be contacted at
satishnarula@pau.edu |
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Chirpy verses
Here are the excerpts from an international poetic symposium by bird poets in progress somewhere as delineated in the book. "Hameen Sur, Tulsi hameen Mir, Ghalib, hameen in mein rehte thhe chola badal kerr / Mili in ko jo daadh duniyan mein ‘Kumri’, Voh thi dar hakiqat hamaari ghazal perr……" sang poet Fakhta Kanpuri 'Kumri' claiming that birds are the primitive poets. Twenty-two more 'bird poets' regaled the audience with their latest poetic creations. While poet Hans Maansroveri was the chief guest, Mayur Bharti presides over the mushaira. Poets like Teetar Haryanvi, Kabootar Lakhnavi, Maina Jaipuri, Bater Jallandhari, Tota Ludhianvi, Surkhab Panchkoolvi, the anchor, doled out their kalaams. "Hamdam has conceived the idea to capture the sweet utterances of 'bird poets' with wild imagination," observed SS Bhatti, the main speaker in the seminar. Noted poet Shams Tabrezi opined that the poetry by birds had the humour, poetic grammar and above all an ecological message. The chief guest, Rajbir Deswal IGP (CID), Haryana complimented the author for giving a voice to the birds who spelt words of wisdom in their
shayari. |
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Even after over a decade of marriage, two children and hectic work schedules -— Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal seems to be madly in love with his wife Mehr Jessia as he made naughty eye contact with her during the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour ramp in New Delhi. The duo took to the fashion runway Saturday evening dressed in outfits by designer Nandita Mahtani on the second day of the Delhi leg of the fashion tour. While Mehr flaunted an emerald green gown with a revealing back, Arjun looked hot as usual in a black tuxedo and a gold-sequined waistband, with his new, cropped hairdo adding a lot more oomph.Arjun's silent interaction with Mehr through his eyes was there for all to see, but no, they didn't dare to do anything as whacky and daring as Akshay Kumar's gesture of asking his wife Twinkle to unzip his jeans during a Mumbai fashion event.Their confidence, panache and attitude were proof enough of their once-upon-a-time supermodel status. When asked about his experience of walking the ramp with Mehr, Arjun said: "I was scared of my wife!"The front row at Mahtani's show also saw Susanne Roshan, who happily cheered for the couple and the designer. Mahtani's collection was dominated by "glamourous, dreamy and romantic" evening wear. She used bright colours like electric blue, emerald and base colours like black and grey with a dash of gold sequins and embroidery on dresses and jumpsuits.The second day of the fashion tour also saw Bollywood actor Anoushka Sharma and Mughda Godse on the runway for designers Surily Goel and Gavin Miguel, respectively.Delhi is the third stop for the sixth edition of the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour after Chandigarh and Hyderabad. — IANS
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"I was most comfortable doing it. Bipasha and I got along from day one. By the time we came to the love scene, we were friends and very comfortable with one another as co-stars," said Rana. Directed by Rohan Sippy, Dum Maro Dum also features Abhishek Bachchan and Aditya Pancholi. "I'm very lucky to have got along well with all my co-stars in my first Hindi film. It was a different world for me. Not that I am not familiar with Hindi films and stars. Our home production has been active in Hindi for decades. But I was never looked on as South-Indian star by my co-stars in Dum Maro Dum." Down south, Rana has a Casanova image and recently has been linked with Sriya Saran. Asked about the link-up, he said: "Sriya and me? That's a new one. We've known each other for years. She has worked in our home productions. So yeah, she's a friend. Beyond that I haven't met her for months. Right now there's no one in my life. When there is, I'll announce it so loud every mediaperson in Mumbai will hear me loud and clear." "I wish some of the link-ups were true. Sadly I am only into my work. There's no girl in my life at the moment," said Rana who speaks fluent Hindi. Rana is the scion of the illustrious D Ramanaidu production house. Listed in the Guinness World Records as the most prolific Indian producer with 110 films in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and other languages, the banner, though fully active and flourishing in Hyderabad, has become inactive in Hindi cinema after the failure of their last film Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahen (2002). Now Rana is all set to revive his family's banner in Mumbai with a spectacular Hindi film on the lines of D Ramanaidu's Hindi blockbusters Premnagar and Tohfa. The Hindi project may star Rana with some of his Dum Maro Dum actors. Confirming his plans to produce and act in a Hindi film for his home banner, Rana said: "That was definitely part of my plan from the start. See, unlike the other South Indian stars who have come to Hindi cinema after doing a dozens of films in their home language, I did one Telugu film Leader and quickly signed a Hindi film. Now that Dum Maro Dum is nearly complete, I'm doing two Telugu films and then the Hindi film." Mention Suriya, who would be making his Bollywood debut at around the same time, Rana said: "Suriya has been a superstar in Tamil for years. I saw his films when I was in school. I think I'm close to Bollywood because being a Hyderabadi I speak fluent Hindi." Unlike other Southern stars trying to consolidate their position in Bollywood, Rana doesn't feel the need to relocate to Mumbai. "I'm just a flight away from Mumbai. After Mumbai producers see me in Dum Maro Dum, they'll know how serious I am about my career in Mumbai." — IANS
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"There's one little room in my house which is filled with all my clutter and bits and pieces. My sewing machine is up there, and all my knitting stuff. It's a place where I can go to relax and unwind. I don't get to spend a lot of time up there, but at least I know it's there," Roberts said.The 42-year-old actor feels that raising her family has left her little time to take care of her looks, but insists she no longer cares about luxury beauty treatments."It's a terrific trade off. Maybe I don't have the time for pedicures anymore, but who cares if my feet look bad? I'm happy. When you're a mother, you don't have the luxury of sitting around anymore. I look back on the pre-children days and, quite honestly, I don't know what I did with all my spare time," Roberts said. — PTI
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Rosie, 23, who quit London for Hollywood after landing Megan Fox's role in Transformers 3, is now filming in Chicago while Jason is traveling the world promoting his new movie The Expendables. When they are done with their commitments, they will return to LA, where Statham has just bought a new house. "They seem very happy together. Rosie's on the make and being with a big star like Jason is doing her career no harm at all," the Daily Telegraph quoted a friend of her as saying. "She has been excitedly telling all her friends that they are going to be moving in together," adds the source. — PTI
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"I have done no film in India so it is very hard for people to accept me as an actor. They don't really know who I am or they probably don't take me too seriously," Pinto said. While offers from Hollywood started pouring in for her post Slumdog, the dusky beauty did not receive any direct offers from Mumbai. "I haven't been directly approached to do a Bollywood film. After Slumdog Millionaire I was given scripts to read but was not directly approached. I don't think I fit the bill," said the actor. Pinto, who will next be seen in Woody Allen's You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger and with Spider-Man star James Franco on the sci-fi thriller The Rise Of Apes, feels that Hollywood has been more accepting than her home country. — PTI
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Rahul Mahajan: Wife-beater-turned-reality show star-turned-wife-beater again! Rahul deserves to play a different role in real as well as reel life. How about Rahul ki behan kaun or Rahul behan banayege! He needs an urgent break from the vicious circle of his life, just as we need from him. Tying him a rakhi will save a lot of girls from auditioning for the season two of bride 'hunt' for Rahul. Of all the aspiring sisters, the opportunity is a must avail for Payal Rohatgi! 
Suresh Kalmadi and Company: We bet nobody is in such dire need of rakhis as Kalmadi and Co. Tie them rakhis, pray for them, pray that the Commonwealth Games are held successfully, pray that post the games the company remains protected. Now, as is the tradition, our rich brothers will have to give us money in return for the protection our prayers will promise. In fact, this seems the only way of getting back a meagre amount of taxpayers' money. Warning: Take your money before tying them rakhi; you know they are in a habit of swindling! 
The Great Khali:
Nobody can dare blow a whistle, pass a remark or even stare at you when our brother is your bodyguard - the Great Khali. While on one hand he will keep miscreants at bay, on the other, he will make sure that you get the boy of your choice (the boy's choice of course won't matter). Being Khali's sister will showcase you on several TV channels, which for several hours would run Khali ki Behan as the breaking news kicker!
Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Tie him a rakhi because we aren't actually left with another option. Blame Sakshi for damaging Dhoni's bachelor status and for turning our dreams into nightmares. From hoping to become his sweetheart to being his sister, the transformation is very painful. All we can do is tie him a
rakhi now!
Priyanka Chopra: Her name in the list is not a mistake. It's very deliberate because Priyanka will play the saviour's part in Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 3. She will be instructing 13 boys on how to perform and win tasks. She will be the authority, so it's recommended that the boys should tie a rakhi on Priyanka's wrist.
Lava Mobile is the first handset brand to incorporate Rupee Symbol in mobile phones. It is a matter of pride for India to be the fifth nation having a currency symbol of its own. Lava, always a leader in consumer insight driven innovations ensured that the Indians did not have to wait too long to have it on their mobile phone keypad.
The doors that can be done in three ways help in ventilation as well. They can be open (for ventilation), glass (for visual continuity) or wood (for air-conditioning). "Most often the doors are in an open mode,' chips in Namita.
The first floor has three bedrooms — daughter Gauri's that extends to a terrace garden complete with a lawn, tree and tori wine; grandson Gobind's bright crib finds proud place in Vishal and Nimita's bedroom. 
The basement has a sprawling hall and a state-of-the-art gym. One can walk up to the pool from here that also has a separate entry from the front. Next to the pool is the covered area for small get-togethers. 
One of the reasons for this is the damage to wood by insects. I have seen people using aluminum lining but it too fails. While getting the planter you should be clear about the size.
The poetic symposium or mushaira wherein poets recite their verses is a century-old literary tradition. But noted Urdu poet BD Kalia Hamdam gave a fresh twist to this literary genre by featuring birds as poets in his book Prindon ka Aalmi Mushaira on which a seminar was held at CL DAV Secondary School-Panchkula by the Ehsaas Adabi Society.
Southern star Rana Daggubatti, who will make his debut in Bollywood with Dum Maro Dum, says he didn't face any problem while shooting an intimate scene with his co-star Bipasha Basu.
Hollywood actor Julia Roberts' favourite past time is to sew and knit when she wants some quiet time to herself away from her
family. The Eat, Pray, Love star, who has five-year old twins Hazel and Phinneaus and three year-old Henry with husband Danny Moder - has created a craft room in her house where she retreats to when she needs quiet time away from her family.
Transformers star Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is taking her relationship with Jason Statham to the next level-she is moving in with the Transporter star. The couple, who started dating in April, have now decided to move in together.
Indian beauty Freida Pinto's international career is shining post Slumdog Millionaire but she won't be seen in any Bollywood film anytime soon because she does not think she fits the bill.