Eid ka Chand
Muslim social films of the sixties paid a befitting tribute to the festive moon while celebrating the elegance of the Urdu language and spectacular sets, recalls Nirupama Dutt
Mujhe mil gaya Mention the phrase Eid ka Chand and a precious image that comes to the mind is of the magnificent Madhubala running out into the open at night singing to the festive moon that has brought her a glimpse of her lover's face in Barsat ki Raat (1960). Eid ka Chand is a phrase used for sighting something very rare and beautiful after the long wait and fasting of Ramzan. It is common enough to say on meeting a long lost friend: "Tum to Eid ke Chand bann gaye ho!" The amazing lyricists who crafted the film songs gave a special place to this phrase as did Sahir Ludhianvi in the above-mentioned song that was given a brilliant musical score by Roshan.

n Munni strikes

Koffee break
Star kid on the block
The 22-year-old Sonakshi Sinha, Poonam's and Shatrughan Sinha's daughter is yet another star kid who is at the threshold of her career. She makes her debut in Dabangg produced by Arbaaz Khan and directed by another debutant Abinav Kashyap opposite Salman Khan. The youngest in the Sinha family sounds super confident about the film. She talks about the film, her parents and on being an actor.

Back to kitchen
Actor Akshay Kumar says his new tele show MasterChef India reminds him of the days when he worked as a cook in Thailand before tasting success in Bollywood.Akshay will be seen hosting and judging the culinary show on Star Plus beginning from October 16."Before I became an actor, I was working as a chef in Thailand. This was the only job that I managed to get there, and I loved cooking that time. This show takes me to back to my roots... reminds me of my past," Akshay said.

Akshaya Kumar

He didn’t Bond!
Clint Eastwood says that he was offered the roles of James Bond and Superman in his younger days. But he refused to don both the iconic tuxedo and the red cape.The 80-year-old actor and director said he was approached to take over as 007 after Sean Connery walked out on the role in 1967. At the time Eastwood was playing cowboys in spaghetti westerns such as The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. He said his then lawyer also represented the Broccolis, who produce the Bond franchise."He came and said, 'They would love to have you'. I was offered pretty good money to do James Bond if I would take on the role.

Clint Eastwood

The thin line
She is one of Hollywood's rising young stars but actor Carey Mulligan refuses to conform to the industry's thin ideal.The Academy Award nominated actor who will be on the cover of fashion bible Vogue's October issue said her brain does not work when she becomes skinny.

Forever love
The wife of late Hollywood actor Patrick Swayze, Lisa Niemi says that she continues to send text messages to her husband, who lost his battle to cancer last September.The 54-year-old who was married to the Dirty Dancing star for 34 years said that she is used to sending him text messages and continues the habit, reported People online.
Patrick Swayze

That’s like Eid!
This Eid, people from the community share their thoughts on the changing face of celebrations
A country like India doesn’t need a reason to rejoice or celebrate. Every ball that hits the stands calls for a party in the club; an outstanding report card is reason enough to call friends over and party; parents out for a week, is a sure-shot reason to party, a new job, first salary, first car (immaterial whether second hand or brand new)...we have reasons enough to celebrate. But these celebrations are not bound by any particular time, day or month. And then come the official, religious celebrations. It still boils down to one thing - we love to celebrate, with or without a reason! 

Side Lanes
Our common wealth
Booze is cheaper at the capitol’s duty-free shop as compared to anywhere else in the world!
At last! After a two-month sojourn Down Under, we are back on Bharatiya soil. From the air, Delhi looks deluged, its earthen bastions jostled and shifted by huge swathes of water, showered down by angry cloudbursts. The tarmac is glistening and clean, the endless travelators working, the spotless carpets waiting for guests to the Commonwealth Games. I have finally conquered my fear of escalators and have not rolled down even once during this trip. That is a gloating point over the previous three falls.

One for the girls!
Post Munde UK De, it’s Ik Kudi Punjab Di from team Manmohan Singh. Looks like they chose the perfect platform for promotion, a girl’s college that is! The director makes it with Amrinder Gill, Jaspinder Cheema, Gugu Gill, Gurpreet Ghugi, Deep Dhillon, Surinder Sharma, Darshan Aulakh in tow… almost the entire cast and crew of the soon to be released Punjabi film, goes beyond the photograph session, autograph signing spree and takes to the stage, one by one, at the MCM DAV College on Thursday.
Jaspinder Cheema thronged by fans at MCM DAV College

Simple tricks!
Magic has its own magic! Pulling rabbits out of a hat, card tricks, making a girl float in the air or converting her into a cat or a pigeon; driving a motorcycle blindfolded…simple magic tricks, simply amazing effect! And when it’s Samrat Shankar, better call him Jaadugar Samrat Shankar for the desired effect, the deal gets better. One of the pioneers of Indian magic tricks, Shankar will be opening his week-long show in Panchkula for the first time.
Samrat Shankar

Moves for a muse
From apsara in divine form to ganika, devdasi, nartaki, kanchani…dancing girls have forever inspired artists
If watching Malaika Arora Khan gyrating to Munni Badnaam Hui makes one doubt the aesthetic sensibility of present-day filmmakers, then it's time to travel back in time to find our tryst with dancing girls as an objet d'art. And trust us, dancing girls have found their way in art and sit pretty with all the importance — be it painting, sculpture, photographs and films. What has changed over the centuries is, perhaps, the nomenclature as far as celluloid is concerned. Now, dancing girls have become item girls. But then, that's a different story.

Art of empowerment
Noted danseuse and social activist Mallika Sarabhai said arts can become a powerful language for empowerment."The arts have astonishing power. Attitudes are difficult to change as they are deeply entrenched. Lectures rarely change them. Telling people what is good for them rarely changes them. And that is where the potent language of art comes in," she said.

For friends' sake
Ramya Mishra Pandey wants to convey the message of 'true friendship' with her debut novel We'll Be Around Honey
In a world where brands one wears decides friends, Ramya Mishra Pandey in her debut novel We'll Be Around Honey, makes 'friendship' the peg. "In today's world relationship is losing meaning. 'Innocent' friendship is fast dying. Through my novel I wanted to emphasise that friends are pillars of your life, they are the ones on whom you can rely in times of need," shares Ramya over the phone from Delhi.

Peace of art
Prestigious Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) in New York will transform into a "peace lab" on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday falling on October 2 to commemorate International Day of Non-Violence. According to RMA, a "peace lab" is a place that offers opportunities for observation, practice, and experimentation with actions and ideas of peace.

India shining
Artists Naresh Kapuria and Arshi Ahmed do India proud in London art exhibition with their ‘unique’ art
A joint exhibition by two renowned Indian artists has impressed art lovers of London and attracted critical acclaim.The exhibition of Naresh Kapuria and Arshi Ahmed was showcased at the Nehru Centre here, and Monika Mohta, director of the centre, described the art works as "unique" and "outstanding". Kapuria, who has been awarded with the Chevalier de' arts and letters by the French government, one of the highest recognitions in the field of art, has worked across performing and visual arts to create an idiom that is unique as it is remarkable for the sheer range he brings to it, seeing art as a composite whole. Alka Raghuvanshi, the Curator, described Kapuria as "one of the most creative artists from India, whose understanding of the arts spans diverse disciplines". He is the recipient of the Award of Excellence from the Romanian government, the Order of the Crown from the Government of Belgium, the Charles Wallace Trust award and the Triennale of India award.