Scissors sharp
The youngest member of the Fashion Design Council of India, ace designer Varun Behl, is not just creatively inclined but has shrewd business acumen
The pleats, ruffles, folds and cuts have replaced the heavy embroidery, which was the signature style of Varun Bahl’s collections until a month back. The shift was a risky proposition, which initially also drew a lot of flak from his friends and clients. As for Varun, he knew changes were always difficult to adjust to. “For 10 years, I have been doing embroidery and then giving it up for cuts, I knew it would make people react. However, the increased sale of my creations in the Indian and the international market confirms the acceptance of the new designs,” says Varun.

Pick n choose
For those who had admired the beauty of Rolls Royce in James Bond flicks, this was one chance to take a glimpse of the real machine. As a part of the Magique for Arte, the exhibition that promised a bit of art in everything put on display, the car was quite an attraction. Since, it wasn’t possible for ESTD, another stall at the exhibition to put the actual stuff on display, they had used toy models of aircrafts and cruise, they manufacture.

Under the glare(s)
Shades of 70s are back with a bang
This summer eyewear brands are placing their bet on mid-sized sunglasses with specific designing on the rims giving them the 70’s look flaunted by the likes of yesteryear actor Zeenat Aman in “Dum Maro Dum.” Mid-sized rims seem to be drawing attention more than the others. Rims in red, white and yellow, some embossed with crystals, some with pointy edges, some with butterfly or cupid motif on the arms, are instant hits.

Just Dance on his mind
He is one of the best dancers in Bollywood but relentless hours of rehearsals go into Hrithik Roshan’s effortless moves onscreen. The actor, who is reprising Amitabh Bachchan’s role in Karan Johar’s Agneepath remake, has been quietly rehearsing for a song in the movie after finishing the shoot. Hrithik, who is also making his debut on small screen with reality show Just Dance, says he cannot perform a move without imagining it first.

Sleep dancer: Hrithik Roshan

FIRST DAY FIRST SHOW
A ‘good’ Friday
It was indeed a ‘good’ Friday for cinema as Chandigarh crowd made a beeline to watch Dum Maro Dum and Dharti. Surviving umpteenth court cases, Dum Maro Dum was finally released. With an impressive star cast —Abhishek Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut, Aditya Pancholi, Bipasha Basu, Rana Duggubati and Prateik Babbar, it deals with issues like drug abuse and prostitution. Directed by Rohan Sippy, music by Pritam Chakraborty, the movie boasts of the controversial number Dum Maro Dum picturised on Deepika.
Dumdaar romance: A still from Dum Maro Dum

Date with history
Do you know what organisms survived the mass extinction, which killed the dinosaurs? Or, how a fossil feels like? If not, it’s time you checked out the government museum
Musée du Louvre is hallmark of Paris’ identity, as is Smithsonian of Washington DC. For any city, museum is the hub of activity. Our City Beautiful has its share of a state-of-the-art museum that houses dinosaur models, Gandhara sculptures, contemporary art as well as original drawings and sketches from making of the modern marvel that Chandigarh is. In fact, the footfall at this place is huge.
TREASURE TROVE: Dinosaur exhibit at Government Museum and Art Gallery-10

Voyage to nostalgia
The art circuit had almost written her off as someone who chose academic art over pure art. And there was a reason for it. Kavita Singh, ever since her last exhibition four years back, barely made her presence felt in the city. So, when her familiar form, a little girl in blunt cut, who we now know as her childhood image, made an appearance on canvas again, we were pleasantly surprised.
self play: Kavita Singh (top) with her works

It's a bitter-tweet Experience
Twitter users' romantic relationships don't last as long as those of non-Twitterers and the problem gets worse as users get older, a new study has revealed. The result concluded by OkTrends - the research arm of free online dating website of OkCupid - comes from a survey of 833,987 of its 7million users. The study found that an 18-year-old Twitter user has an average relationship-length of around nine months while non-Twitterers - defined as 'everybody else' - enjoy an average relationship of nine and a half months.

Aksshat in Comedy Circus Ke Tansen
Paresh Ganatra is moving out of Comedy Circus Ke Tansen and Manish Paul will be stepping into his shoes. Recent developments confirm about a third person entering the show as Bharti's partner. The latest we hear is about Aksshat Saluja, last seen in Star Plus's Zara Nachke Dikha and a few episodes of Comedy Ka Dailysoap, will be paired with Bharti.


cooking fun: Prasad Barve

Gurdeep's wish list
Gurdeep Kohli, who shot to fame after playing doctor Juhi in the show Sanjeevani, says new faces have thronged small screen because producers are not willing to pay to senior actors. She hopes the new brigade of artistes on small screen is compensated well and that the TV industry gets a makeover.

Music to the ear
Hollywood beauty Catherine Zeta-Jones is joining the cast of director Adam Shankman’s musical Rock of Ages. The actress, who recently underwent treatment for bipolar disorder, will be seen playing a villainous ‘arch conservative’ opposite Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin and Mary J Blige.


Musical notes: Catherine Zeta-Jones

In Gay abandon
Singer Christina Aguilera has been honoured with The Abbey’s Gay Walk of Fame for her contribution to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. She was honoured by the owners of a famous West Hollywood gay bar.

Who’s afraid of Shaitan?
There is no dearth of talented directors in Bollywood but they get wasted because producers are busy chasing established names, says filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who had struggled a lot to release his first film Black Friday.



What An idea: Anurag Kashyap

I have no issues with Salman: Govinda
Govinda has dismissed reports that all is not well between him and good friend Salman Khan after the superstar chose Sonakshi Sinha over his daughter Narmada for last year’s hit Dabangg. Speculation is rife in Bollywood that Govinda is upset with Salman for not keeping his promise to launch Narmada with his home production, which became the highest grossing film of 2010.

The foodies
Take a coffee break, Folks
Ludhiana gets its first outlet of a US-based chain of coffee cafés-Folk Street. Located opposite Flamez Mall, the café exudes the feeling of some New York street. As you sip the delicious brew amidst potted plants and pebbles, you can gaze at the bright neon lights through the glass walls.

High Spirits

astro turf

chatter box

the year ahead

BOLLYWOOD GOSSIP