The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - The Tribune Lifestyle

B-town bowled over!
Celebrities from Bollywood flooded Chandigarh for the Indo-Pak semifinal
Jasmine Singh

The moment finally came…and not a soul missed it. The city wore a somewhat deserted look, no prizes for guessing why! The epicentre of discussion revolved only around one thing, we still aren't giving away any prizes for the guess. Cricketers poured in numbers and so did stars of the B-Town. And if you think they managed to drift our attention away from the men in blue and green, well they couldn't!

For once, they too weren't bothered about getting clicked in the right poses, with and without glares. They were here for the spirit of the Indo-Pak match and we give it to them for it…straight from the airport!

jasmine@tribunemail.com

Time to wasool lagaan
Aamir Khan, the actor, is every bit the charmer. A new style, rather moustache statement, blue tee and denims, the actor smiled, signed autographs, answered questions as wife Kiran Rao quickly slipped inside the car. Now, this is what we call mutual understanding — honey you do all the smiling while I wait for you in the car!

Hey Babby!
Our man in black Fardeen Khan made it to the Indo-Pak match in a casual tracksuit. C'mon people, with a line-up of substantial movies and extra-sensational roles (ha ha ha) you don't expect him to have time to change into anything better!

Is this Ness?
We are not used to seeing the good-looking businessman alone. You know what we mean; time heals everything but! Alone or not, you have to move on Ness. (Courtesy, PS I Love You)

Mumbai Indians
Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani and hey what is the Kings XI Punjab queen doing here; Preity Zinta shared notes on how they manage to create the same hullabaloo at IPL. Just kidding. Preity looked pretty in the World Cup style statement—white kurta, green salwar and saffron dupatta.

Ola la la la Ole O!
Without an entourage of pretty calendar babes or 'where am I' lost son Siddharth, Vijay Mallya, a sports fan, too made it to the historic event. We are still wondering where he parked his private jet!

V Company
Vivek Oberoi, the newly married actor who managed to drop the 'controversial' tag, smiled his way to a car waiting for him. The actor does everything to perfection (Aamir, we are sorry), which is probably why he came in the team India T-shirt. Of course, Vivek is preparing for the new innings.

Hollywood loves India
There has been an influx of Hollywood stars to India in the past 2-3 years. We take a look

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
They stayed at the Taj Mahal Hotel in South Mumbai but did not socialise with anyone from Bollywood. They came with their brood as Angelina had to shoot for A Mighty Heart. They had the shutterbugs in a tizzy.

Akon
The hip-hop sensation has come to India a couple of times, thanks to SRK. He got him here during the last IPL season and had a party for him at the Race Course along with a party at Mannat. Akon is singing a song in Ra.One.

Gerard Butler
The star came to India in 2010 and he was in the news for his friendship with Priyanka Chopra. She hosted a party for him and he socialised with the likes of SRK and Shahid Kapur. Moreover, SRK hosted a party for him at Mannat.

John Travolta
The Saturday Night Fever star flew down to Mumbai in the second half of 2010. He came to India to attend the GQ Awards and he received an award from Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. He met the media and the who's who of Bollywood.

Madonna
The Queen of Pop came to Mumbai. But the purpose of her visit was not what one would have expected. She visited the slum areas of Dharavi and spent ample time in Colaba. Gregory David Roberts was her tour guide.

Hugh Jackman
Karan Johar convinced the X-Men star to come to India for FICCI Frames. The Australian star got along famously with Shah Rukh Khan and they even performed on stage. Hugh may do a Bollywood flick with Karan Johar and SRK

Richard Gere
He has come to India on several occasions and Parmeshwar Godrej is the lady who brings him here to support her AIDS initiatives. He was mired in a controversy when he kissed Shilpa Shetty. He even made an appearance on Koffee with Karan.

Drama-tic turn
Manoj Joshi, veteran actor and theatre personality, staged his play Chanakya in Chandigarh
Deepali Sagar

Theatre is a must for every actor," feels Manoj Joshi, a veteran actor and theatre personality, who is in town to showcase his play Chanakya. "Theatre groomed me, but the best thing about it is that one gets to learn something new everyday," he says. However, Joshi always wanted to be a painter. As a result he opted for the school of arts over NSD, but as they say destiny chooses you rather than the other way round. Fate had some other plans for him. His fascination for theatre made him realise his final destination.

About the play
He feels that directing the play has been the toughest challenge, as our history isn't written chronologically. "Along with my team, we researched for four years before the play came into being. The result was a Gujarati version, which was later adapted in Hindi," he says.

Movie career
His first movie was Sarfarosh and after that he never looked back. "I have no godfather in the film industry, still I have been able to bag good roles," he adds. Inspector Waghmare (Sarfarosh), Kachara Seth (Phir Hera Pheri) and Bhagat Ji (Vivaah) are some roles that are close to his heart.

Raveena’s new venture

Shopping for the kids is the biggest challenge that mothers faces nowadays. Such is the pressure that the parents don't mind spending big bucks on their little ones. However, there is good news for the Chandigarh residents.

Raveena Tandon, with her son Ranbir Vardhan Thadani launched Tommy Hilfiger's children wear line in Sector 17. "Since the launch of the Tommy Hilfiger children wear in India, shopping for my kids clothes has become a lot easier. Now, I don't need to shop for them abroad," says Raveena.

The spring summer collection looks exciting and vibrant as it's not only peppy but also incorporates key Tommy signature elements. However, Tommy Hilfiger's Spring/Summer 2011 children wear collection offers a unique range. It comprises of three fashion deliveries, inspired by Little League baseball, America's Ivy League universities as well as the beautiful beaches and stunning sunsets of Hawaii. — TNS

get physical
You can work it out
Don’t set unrealistic goals. Train smart and reap immense benefits
Sachin Kalra

Its been said over and over: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Working out without a pre-determined workout regime is similar to going on a trip without directions; most likely you'll end up getting lost. Don't make this common mistake. Enlist the aid of a qualified personal trainer to design a proper resistance training and aerobic programme.

Purchase one of the many guides to fitness programming and educate yourself on the basics.

Be realistic: One of the biggest mistakes is setting unrealistic goals. It's too much, too fast syndrome. People expect dramatic results, and then they get disappointed. They expect the 15 kg they put on over a period of years to come off overnight and that doesn't happen. Because of unrealistic goals people set, they set themselves up for failure (chucking the fitness programme) and risk of injury or burnout.

Don’t follow fads:People often choose some exercise, diet or fitness programme because it's in and others are doing it. They experiment too much with their workouts and go on a variety of diets. To succeed you need to do what is right for you and something you can incorporate in your lifestyle. For fitness, you need to find something you are passionate about. If exercise is not fun, you are not going to stay with it. Your fitness levels should also play a major role while choosing the physical activity. And as for diet, well a proper balanced diet which does not ignore any food group will go a long way and show better results eventually than any other fad diet out there promising instant results (be-ware of rebound).

Liquor hazards: Just as portion sizes of your food need to be controlled, alcohol consumption must be limited, if not eliminated. Not only does alcohol have calories; it is actually metabolised more like fat than carbohydrates.

Myth of spot reduction: Many people think that you can get a flat stomach just by doing sit-ups or that you can make your butt smaller if you do enough squats. The truth is that in order to lose inches or tone up any part of your body you must work on your entire body.

Get out of the rut: Once people find an exercise that they really enjoy or one that isn't too difficult, it's easy to get in a routine of doing the same exercise over and over.

This often causes your body to reach a plateau because it becomes too accustomed to the routine. Try to change your routine every two weeks.

(Kalra is a Chandigarh-based fitness expert.)

Looking for books? Try online
E-reading is catching up

If you can't find a particular book at your favourite bookshop, join the growing league of net savvy Indians who buy their reading stuff on the Internet and get discount and free delivery right at their doorstep.

"Until a few years back, getting a particular title was a hectic job involving a visit to at least four to five bookstores that were far from home. Now all I have to do is click a mouse," says Arindo Ghosh, a banker and book lover who lives in east Delhi.

With all major publishers having online bookstores, the e-revolution in book selling has truly come as a boon to readers and publishers as well. "People are buying in very big numbers on the web now," says Gaurav Sabharwal, co-founder of the recently-launched uread.com, the e-book store of publisher Prakash Books which released Jeffrey Archer's latest book Only Time Will Tell.

The service was launched on March 12, and currently has 3,000 orders of approximately Rs 500 each, he said.

Sabharwal spoke of receiving more than a thousand orders in a week. "We are doing more than 1,000 orders a week and we hope to double it in three months," he says.

"Online book sales have significantly picked up in the last year. One has the convenience of higher discounts and free delivery to their doorstep. In addition, one does not even need a credit card as one can use the COD (cash on delivery) option," said Sabharwal.

Agreeing with the assessment, Pranav Johri, marketing director of publishers Rajpal and Sons, which also has its e-book store www.republishing.com, says e-book stores are fast catching up and the size of the market online is four to five times that in traditional retail. "It's growing exponentially and is effective four to five times the traditional retail. E-bookstores are a great medium for book lovers and the choice is wide," he said.

Apart from having their own e-book ordering sites, publishers also choose to go along with other popular book ordering sites such as Flipkart and Infibeam.

"Flipkart and Infibeam are great portals and are growing very fast. We get orders for hundreds of books in a week from all the online market or portals," said Johri.

Among the key features of these stores is the discount and hassle-free delivery which are attracting people the most. "I had my misgivings before I ordered from an e-book store, as we are always doubtful about the unconventional. The best thing is I don't even need a credit card and the book reaches right at my doorstep and I can browse through more titles according to the category I want without the shop attendant's irritated looks," says Shalini Mishra, a software executive living in Gurgaon.

Sabharwal also highlighted the ease of finding books on their sites. "The book database is searchable by author, title or subject. The books are categorised in hundreds of categories and sub-categories," he said.

Interestingly, the trend on online browsing and ordering is not limited to the tech-savy readers of metro cities, with the publishers saying they get as many orders from smaller cities.

"On our own website, we have people from all over ordering books online, more so from small towns," said Johri. Sabharwal also said a lot of orders are being received from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. So just log on and browse away. — IANS

Know your Body

The more women are able to focus on how their bodies function and feel, rather than what others think, the more they will appreciate their own bodies.
And the more a woman appreciates her body, the more likely she is to eat intuitively - responding to physical feelings of hunger and fullness rather than being swayed by emotions in eating or the mere presence of food, reports the Journal of Counseling Psychology.

"Women who focus more on how their bodies' function...are going to have a healthier, more positive body image and a tendency to eat according to their bodies' needs rather than according to what society dictates," said Tracy Tylka, associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University and senior study author. Other studies have suggested that about 50 per cent of women appreciate their bodies. — IANS

Chatter box

Hrithik's music video for Just Dance
Ace dancer and heartthrob of millions Hrithik Roshan recently shot for an music video for his new reality show STAR Plus' Just Dance. The actor danced so flawlessly that everyone was impressed by his dancing moves. Hrithik rehearsed for five hours for five days before the shoot, which his director-friend Arjun Sablok directed. Perfectionist Hrithik wants to motivate the audiences to dance. Hrithik's co-judge on Just Dance, Vaibhavi Merchant choreographed the music video while Pritam has given the music.

Avika Gor shoots for Hair Oil
Avika Gor, aka Anandi of Balika Vadhu, will now appear in an ad selling Pukhraj Jasmine Hair Oil. Avika enjoyed the shoot and was in a playful mood. She even tried to play a prank on the director of the ad, Prabhakar Shukla.

Nitesh Pandey's April Fool's joke
Even though they are doing comedy, it is all work on the sets of Sab tv's Jaankhilavan Jasoos. Recently the lead Nitesh Pandey played a prank on Mona Lisa. While shooting, Nitesh suggested Sonali give him her real gold earrings for safekeeping and she did. Once the shot was over, and she wanted them back, Nitesh denied having ever taken them. A shocked Sonali spoke to everyone on the sets but no one supported her. It was only later that she realsied that it was a joke.

Shiamak to judge dance show
Get ready to watch a fresh face on telly. Ace choreographer Shiamak Davar has been signed to judge Zee TV's upcoming dance reality show Dance Ke Superstars. The show will have the top contestants of Zee's iconic show Dance India Dance competing against each other. Popular contestants -Shakti Mohan, Siddhesh Pai, Mayuresh, Dharmesh, Prince, Vrushali Chavan and many others from the first two seasons of Dance India Dance will fight for the ultimate title.

Dhruv and Ginny connection with Band Baaja Baraat
Yash Raj Films super hit film Band Baja Baraat will now be promoted by Dhruv (Manish Tulsiyani) and Ginny (Shambhavi Sharma) from Chhajje Chhajje Ka Pyar on SONY TV. As the blockbuster will soon be aired for the first time on television, this is a new plan to get eyeballs by the sweet and loving chemistry of Dhruv and Ginny. The two are good friends living in Delhi and are a take off on Ranvir Singh and Anushka Sharma. Guess they hope to have the same success as BBB for their serial too.

Ashiesh gets serious
Zee TV will soon be ready with a brand new show called Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyein. The story revolves around Mrs Kaushik aka Vibha Chibber of Bidaai fame and her daughters-in-law who belong to different parts of India. Ashiesh Roy, who was last seen playing the comic character Anna in Mrs and Mr Sharma Allahabadwale, will be seen in a serious avatar in this show.

Talking to us about Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyein, Ashiesh says, "When Rashmi Sharma Telefilms contacted me for this show, they told me they had liked my work in Mrs. & Mr. Sharma Allahabadwale, and they had an interesting role to offer me. Naturally, I was excited. They are reputed to be excellent producers, and my mom is a huge fan of their show Saath Nibhana Sathiya. What clinched the deal for me, however, was the character they offered me - that of a theatre director. My own acting background stems from theatre, so it's home territory for me."

When asked about his role the actor says, "I cannot reveal the plot of the show before it hits the tube but I can tell you a bit about my character. I run a theatre group in the Pink City, and the female protagonist is the heroine of my play.

I am a strict disciplinarian and extremely hard on the surface but I have a softer side, which unfolds as the story progresses (smiles). This role reminds me of my own theatre director and guru NK Sharma. In fact, I've decided to incorporate some of NK's typical mannerisms and theatrical nuances into my character."

Which roles does he enjoy the most comic or serious characters? Ashiesh replies, "I would choose to play a serious character, any day.” — HRM

Shweta Kawatra dons a positive role
Well known actress Shweta Kawatra, still popularly known for her negative role as Pallavi in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, is back to television. She will be seen in Colors' Phulwa as a strict and honest police officer. Post Kahaani and her marriage, Shweta did a comedy show SAB TV's Sonu Sweety which didn't work well. Now here's hoping, Phulwa's cameo role turns full fledged.

Guinness World Records' star studded finale
We told you it was rumoured that Salman Khan will appear on Guinness World Records and now it is confirmed. The finale of Guinness World Records--Ab India Todega on Colors will have Salman Khan as the special guest who will shake a leg with adjudicator Rob Molly and teach him some steps from Dabbang. He will also attempt a fire stunt with contestant Jassi. However, not just Salman, the finale will have a couple of TV actors attempting to break records too. These include TV actors who have been missing from the small screen for sometime now—Manish Goel, Manav Gohil and his wife Shweta.

The year ahead
If your birthday is March 31...
Madan Gupta Spatu

What a coincidence for you! 2011's total number and your basic number is same this year. So a fantastic year ahead. Professionally, it spells speedy augmentation in career, economic strength and good flow of liquidity.

To put it colloquially, Jo maango-ge-wahi mileg. In short, your (You dream and he delivers) type period has commenced today. Fair sex will be more favourable by end of July as soon as Saturn becomes sahi (direct in motion). Bachelors are likely to get Sherwani stitched very soon, while the newly married can expect to go family way in the era of auspicious Jupiter. Those linked to media can expect a good switch over to a better placement with inflated packages. Research scholars will complete their doctorate. Educationists will be recognised, their contribution may fetch awards and honours. Authors can expect hot sales of their publications. Doctors stand a good chance to visit abroad for employment, higher education. Healthwise, 2011 will prove tension free year.

Sheila Dikshit
(March31,1938) who is second time woman Chief Minister of Delhi, since 1998, also celebrates her birthday with you. Sheila was listed for 2008 World Mayor Award. She also received award for Best CM of India. Shiela Dikshit championed the cause of women on various platforms. She was also jailed in August 1990 in UP while leading a movement against atrocities being committed on women. In 2011 she will push all her opponents to the corner. She would emerge as a strong leader but may not repeat the chief minister ship for the third term.

Abhishek's Game Plan

Last year didn't go very well for Abhishek Bachchan. Movies like Raavan and Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, where he tried something different, didn't do too well. Now, Abhishek is back with Game, which releases this Friday, and Dam Maaro Dam. We catch up with the actor

Tell us about your projects
Game is whodunit murder mystery and I'm really looking forward to it. I've always been a fan of murder mysteries. Dum Maaro Dum and Players are action flicks.

Tell us about Game
Game is Abhinay Deo's venture into films. Abhinav is known for his ad films. My co-star is Kangana, who is one of the most hard working actresses I've seen. Shahana Goswami is also a great actress, as is Sarah Jane Dias, who makes her Bollywood debut. Let's not forget Jimmy Shergill who is dhamaka in the movie.

You are also doing many sequels
Yes, there's Dhoom 3, Dostana 2 and likely a sequel to Sarkar Raj.

Among all these three sequels which one will you start shooting first and which one are you most excited about?

Without a doubt it is Dhoom 3, as I get to work with Aamir Khan. Also the director Vijay Krishna Acharya is the perfect guy to make Dhoom 3.

What is the response to the Dum Maaro Dum trailer?

We've got a good response. I'm working with Rohan (Sippy) after a while. I play a character called Inspector Kamat, who is out to clean Goa.

You have now completed a decade in the industry. How do you feel going through the ups and downs?

When I started, everyone wrote me off. Now, it's been a tough ride, so I feel like I'm making my debut again. —HRM

Astro turf
P. Khurrana

ARIES: Household tasks can be done in record time. Speculation would be most unwise. No problem should arise in romance. Models: Admirers will stick to you like bees; be careful. You will feel great with your renewed energy. Get a good night's sleep. Tarot message: Capitalise on your strength and do not trust others. Lucky colour: Orange. Magic number: 60.

TAURUS: You will be popular with both the sexes today. A level of stress may be building, especially if you face unpaid bills or such financial issues. You may be feeling vulnerable to the criticism of friends. Keep your head cool and avoid confrontation. Tarot message: Focus on the better to mitigate the bitter. Lucky colour: Black. Magic number: 59.

GEMINI: Many of you will scurry to be on time. Make extra efforts to conclude pending projects. Secrecy of plans will help you at place of work. Property deals favour till 2.00 pm. Do not aim for spectacular results. A VIP comes to help. Tarot message: Wait and watch. Impatience will lead to failure. Lucky colour: Cream. Magic number: 54.

CANCER: Caring conversations and heart-to-heart talks flow easily. Health problems can be successfully handled. This is a good day for both buying and selling property. Stick to what you know. Cool down with water sports s. Be wary of over-confidence. Tarot message: Unfinished business will unleash new problems. Lucky colour: Grey. Magic number: 39.

LEO: A burst of domestic enthusiasm can sweep into cleaning and decorating your home. Senior bureaucrats should focus on secret files and documents. Married will enjoy evening in a different way. Do not carry heavy cash. Tarot message: You need to cultivate understanding andhumility. Lucky colour: Ebony. Magic number: 63.

VIRGO: Differences of opinion within the family could reach a boiling point. Bright day for intellectuals, writers, advocates and astrologers. Love life runs into trouble. Tarot message: If you are tempted to travel overseas don't waste money by financing the trip yourself. Lucky colour: Saffron. Magic number: 27.

LIBRA: If you are not okay about relationship, finance or career issues, take positive action. The employed will have to work overtime. An important meeting may have to be shelved. Keep a low profile. A Taurean lover figures prominently. Tarot message: Dare to accomplish those tasks, which normally take up a lot of time. Lucky colour: Camelish. Magic number: 40.

SCORPIO: You win over one enemy or adversary. Family life is tense. Financially the first half of the day is expensive. Writers will find their work in print. Keep cool and maintain a low profile. A health crisis might strike. Tarot message: Do not swing away from the course you have charted so far. Lucky colour: Mauve. Magic number: 49.

SAGITTARIUS: Those spiritually inclined are likely to search for solitude. Love life is passing through a rough phase. Businessmen have a tricky day. A feel good humour and cosmic wisdom will weave into your affairs. Kindness and compassion are spreading around you.
Tarot message: Think carefully before taking action. Lucky colour: Turquoise. Magic number: 42.

CAPRICORN: Your card The Universe favours progress in your profession. Be wary of a situation where it would be easy to make a mistake. You will inevitably repent later. Useful day for tackling household repairs. Students: Light reading will keep you busy.

AQUARIUS: You card The Moon reveals a romantic interest. If you have a lover, this is the day to treat them. Fortune can smile on you from the least expected sources. Don't rely on luck alone, though. Health problem can be satisfactorily treated. Tarot message: Don't be too certain about obtaining a clearance. Lucky colour: Purple. Magic number: 38.

PISCES: An unexpected bonus could appear in your paycheck. Dress for success to make a great impression on employers. Enjoy being noticed and acknowledged. Contact your parents if you have not called or seen them lately.
Tarot message: Do not swing away from the course you have charted so far. Lucky colour: Yellow. Magic number: 29.