Ai! Ladhki
Anuradha Shukla meets up with a Canadian film crew in town, documenting the phenomenon of the girl child lost from the Punjab landscape

Karina Marceau, Julie Paquin, Melini and cameraman Dominique working on a documentary for Productions du 5e monde, Montreal, are looking for the missing girl child in India. Paradoxes like no children being born in Canada because of high rate of abortions to the lopsided sex ratio in India drove Karina, heading the team brought the team to discover more about the issue. On Lohri the team shot the special Lohri celebrations for girls in Fatehgarh Sahib.

“The synopsis on the issue won us an award in Canada and we got a special grant to do the report,” says Karina. “What amazed us during the shooting in Punjab was the fact that more educated the parents were, more they were into using technology to kill the female foetus in the womb,” says Julie. On the hand the team met men in Fatehgarh Sahib who could not find wives. “It’s a dream for these men to be able to find a wife and have family,” says Melini. “The reasons for the phenomenon here are so much complicated as they have roots in the socio, economic, and even history behind them as we understand it,” says Karina.

More education and standing on their own feet only can have women everywhere become aware of their rights says Julie. “But the right to abort, which the women in the West fought for has become another kind of tool working against growth of population,” says Karina. “There are so many children here that it amazes why the girls are killed,” says Julie.

“What was heartening was the strength the women had in talking about themselves,” says Julie. People here look straight into the eye and smile and the women be it the abused women in Rajasthan or the village women in India feels the team. Meeting the woman in Pattran who blew the lid on the wells containing buried feotus in Pattran near Patiala, Karina says things like Lohri for girls can add value to the lives of women.

But is it an equal world in the West. No comes the reply from team though there is very cordial working environment. “There are only sixteen per cent of women in political decision making, says Karina.

“Things are changing defends Dominique as he says that the sheer vibrance of the colours of life in India amaze him as a cameraperson. “There is so much life wherever you go and so much to see even in a single shot which I failed to see when I was shooting,” says Dominique. “The eyes of even the youngsters here are much mature than their years.” The warmth and hospitality of the people here is disarming and though we are shooting on threat to life of women in the mothers womb we feel more safe walking the Indian streets than in Africa or South America, say the women…

Phir tera waqt-e-safar yaad ayaa…
Nirupama Dutt

Hum this immortal ghazal that spoke of dida-e-tar (moist eyes) and waqt-e-safar (parting time) and one is in touch with two great talents: the poet who wrote the ghazal and the singer who sang it soulfully. The poet was Mirza Ghalib, the greatest of Urdu poets who took the art of ghazal writing to enormous heights. The pioneering singer who immortalised Ghalib’s couplets and took them to the masses was Kundan Lal Saigal.

Ghalib and Saigal thus form an inseparable twain. So it is in order that the homegrown Saigal bhagat, our S.K. Sharmaji of the Environmental Society fame, organises in town today a musical concert called Ghalib se Saigal tak to commemorate the 60th death anniversary of Saigal and the 210th birth anniversary of Ghalib.

Times change, trends change in the safar-e-waqt (travel of time) but anything that comes from the heart and soul lives on and the concert is a celebration of the genre of ghazal, both in the written and sung forms. Two audio discs of Saigal’s renderings of Ghalib’s ghazals will be released on the occasion. To Saigal goes the credit for taking ghazal from its recitation form in tarannum to the radio, although before him courtesan culture had perfected the art of its rendition. The singing star’s ability was such that he sang with emphasis on each word with the accompanying music highlighted each word of poetry.

Interestingly, it was Saigal who paid the debt of gratitude and love by repairing and laying with marble the humble tomb of the poet, near the mazaar of Nizamuddin Aulia in New Delhi. Ghalib had said of his art: kehate hain ki Ghalib ka hai andaaz-e-bayaan aur and it is the andaaz-e-bayaan (way of expressing) of the Saigal-Ghalib twosome that is so enchanting. 

Beauty sea deep 
Not just facials, beauty salons and healthcare centers are treating hair and other deep-rooted problems with help of sea mineral extracts, says Saurabh Malik

FROM THE SEA SHORE: Minerals from the sea combined with hair oil.

Beauty salons and healthcare centers — treating a deluge of maladies with sea mineral extracts — are creating ripples like never before. For bringing about a sea change in your looks, they are actually pulling out splendor secrets from the deep.

Just in case you haven’t carried out an in-depth study into the advantages of sea mineral treatment, just moor into VLCC healthcare centre in Panchkula’s Sector 9. Grandeur experts anchored there are already flooding the lives of so many residents with a sense of wellbeing.

Right, they are “combining the benefits of sea with the goodness of essential oils” for treating scalp problems that have till now left you at the end of your tether!

If you are still at sea, ask Area Manager (Beauty) with the VLCC Group Dr Rohit Bansal. He will tell you all about the therapy that’s making in reality beauty sea deep.

Sea magic

Sailing into the centre for “Hair Fair” organised to launch of international hair-line “EKS — the sea mineral extracts and aromatherapy goodness treatment” — he says you may find it incredible, but sea water is natural source of 104 trace elements, including zinc copper and magnesium.

All these elements are essential for overall wellbeing of the body. Their use in hair products goes a long way in curing not only scalp problems, but also in improving the texture and the moisture level of the tresses.

Combined with aromatherapy, it takes care of problems that leave you marooned in social circles including dandruff, oily scalp and hair loss. This is not all. The treatment restores the hair fiber, purifies the epidermic surface, nourishes the hair follicle and creates the right level of humidity in the hair.

Fellows, you can go in for “rebalance” if your scalp has lost its’ natural balance of sebum production. The treatment involves absorption of excessive sebum, while releasing sebum balancing elements.

Cure flow

In case dandruff is your problem, go in for “purity” treatment. It removes from the scalp the scales produced by the micro organisms responsible for irritation. You can also go in for “comfort” treatment. It involves general purification of the scalp. “Active Mud” absorbs impurities from the scalp and releases calming substances.

Vitality treatment is for scalp that suffers from falling hair. The treatment purifies the scalp of all polluting elements and provides valuable nourishment, along with extraordinary energy reserve both to forming and growing hair. It also aids growth and strengthens the fiber.

You can also go in for “reconstruct” treatment for damaged and chemically processed hair. It helps to normalize the moisture balance in dull, dry and frizzy hair, helping you to get back the lost natural lustre. 

Couch Shakti
Smriti Sharma

We all have hated him perhaps for all the negative roles he has played with so much aplomb in countless Hindi flicks. Noticeably, Indian audience remembers him for the bad man image he projects, sometimes as a mafia don, a killer, a conventional rapist or even a roadside gunda for that matter, he does justice to all. No wonder his comic characters in films, like that of Nandu in David Dhawan’s flick, Raja Babu, which fetched him a Filmfare Award as well, are outshined by shady roles.

From being labelled as a casting couch in a sting operation carried out by TV channel in May 2005 to tendering an apology to the top brass of Hindi films to finally being banned for a day by Film Producers and Actors Guild, Mumbai, the actor has forever been making news for all the wrong reasons (unfortunately!)

Making the most out of the opportunity (like any other Bollywood star surrounded in controversies), Shakti too doesn’t lag behind in making tall claims as to how his family stood by him when the whole world was against him during his bad times contrary to all the media reports.

Back on his feet and thanking his stars for that horrifying dream (as he calls it) is now over, Shakti talks about his bagful of projects and about his latest role as a ring (read team) leader in battle of humour in The Laughter Champions Mahayudh. He would soon be seen on the small screen leading his funny brigade comprising laughter champions Pratap Faujdar, Rauf Lala, Rajkumar Javkar, Sunil Sawra, Rasik Maharaj and Rajan Shrivastav against none other than always laughing out loud Navjot Singh Sidhu’s team. Where as Punjab da Puttar, Sidhu’s team would be seen clad in all white it seems the producers of the show are in awe of Shakti’s affinity to play the negative role and perhaps this explains the reason for his team’s colour- the colour of the evil, black.

On being asked about the same, Shakti muses and replies, “Actually my team mates were really happy to wear all black considering it’s an evening show. On the contrary, opponents have no choice than to look buffoons in white”. Seems this guy has done his homework really well! Giving details about the show, Shakti says the show is going to be loads of fun for the viewers as it was for the performers. The six episodes Mahayudh is going to be an out and out laughter riot beating all the previous records. Well that’s to be seen and believed. But apart from the show, the actor is bit too busy these days with the film projects he is doing currently. Running high on the recent success of his flick Bhagam Bhaag, his current films due for release includes Nehle Pe Dehla with Sanjay Dutt and Saif Ali Khan, Khujlee and Old is Gold.

Well looking after all this it seems good days are here again for Shakti. Here’s wishing him good luck for the new innings and hope he is not ‘casted on couch’ again!

Grit and glam
Anuradha Shukla

Life rocks for Yuvraj S. Singh as he rides the launch pad film Love Story by none other than director Prakash Jha into the world of dream weavers, the Hindi film industry. Playing guitar for Music Society in Saint Stephen’s College, Delhi, to playing cricket for the Board of Cricket Control in India, (BCCI) this cool dude continued his musical trail in England where he jived with music clubs and musicians along side his higher studies before entering films.

He comes prepared as he trained to be an actor before taking the plunge and “working with director of such high acclaim thrills Yuvraj no end”.

“I have tried to give expression to all my creative instincts be it music or acting or sport. I did television productions too with BR Chopra and Ravi Chopra banners but my heart was always in films,” says Yuvraj. For someone who began learning music at six and strums ballads, fusion, metal, on electrical, acoustic and Spanish guitars says, “I want to focus on acting and music as it really comes out of my heart,” says Yuvraj. His journey is that of self-realisation says the young lad who believes in Karma.

On the kind of roles his take is on “earthy characters, symbolic of the ethos of our social cultural realities. Acting with impact and meaning on society,” is what Yuvraj wants out of his stint in Hindi films. Acting for him “means to evoke a character from one’s spirit and not mere looks.”

His Greeko-Indian looks and unwavering passion have landed his some good roles already with the next unnamed production of Ravi Chopra. For a newcomer he comes prepared with what he wants to do and says, “ I don’t want to be stuck in any clichés and knowing it may not be that easy but I want to do various kinds of roles from negative to comedy and thrillers I am ready to see where the flights of destiny take me.” 

Fabric for all seasons
Smriti Sharma

The change of season changes the wardrobe. Every time the change brings in something different and new with it (too many changes, isn’t it!). But don’t we always wish how life would have been much easier if only there were all weather fabrics. Probably clothes that would keep us warm through the chilly winters and cool in cruel summers!

Perhaps these thoughts led Chandigarh based Sambul Sekhon to search for the weavers who could weave fabrics on these lines in the border villages of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. She brings to the city an array of dress material and suits that can be worn in all seasons, embellished with tradition.

The exhibition spells the word ‘Handlooms’ genuinely in the best possible way. So each piece that one picks is a handloom work. One can choose from the colourful Mangalgiri block prints complete with striped or check salwars or even a Pongal suit having Zari work on a very fine off white coloured, cotton fabric with a thread of silk in the weaving. ‘Narayan patti’ suits from Andhra in double shades with two different coloured threads in weaving are unique in themselves. Also available are the speciality of Orissa, suits with fish borders, which are woven only in some of the border villages of Orissa.

If the combination of traditional weaving and cotton doesn’t suit your personality then the exhibition has some thing to offer for you as well. On display are some of the finest prints in pure crepe complete with dupattas to choose from. The price range for the handloom suits starts from Rs 650- Rs 1600 and the ones in crepe are priced between Rs 2600- Rs 3500.

The suits will be on display at 1074, Sector 8 C on Sunday.

current HIT RADIO
Tuning-In with Hardeep S. Chandpuri

The term contemporary Hit Radio was coined in the early 1980s by the Radio & Records magazine to designate Top 40 stations, which continued to play hits from all musical genres as pop music splintered into Adult Contemporary, Urban Contemporary and other formats. Today, CHR is one of the most popular formats in the world where a station plays a significant amount of current popular music, whether singles or album cuts. As it is no longer unusual for a single to remain on the charts for 30-40 weeks or longer, “current” refers to music released within the last year. A more accurate description for “CHR” would be “Current Hit Radio”. This format is the descendent of the Top 40 stations popular from the 50’s through the 80’s.

Although some CHR stations base their playlists on surveys of local record sales or phone requests, internationally most rely on published charts such as the Billboard Hot 100. As of December 1998, the Billboard Hot 100 chart began to include popular album tracks not commercially released as singles, and began weighing a song’s airplay three times as heavily as a song’s sales.  The Billboard Hot 100 chart is therefore a measure of which songs are being played on CHR stations, which in turn, base their play lists on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

Contemporary Hit Radio stations tend to concentrate on specific music styles, such as Rock or Urban, or a range of styles, such as Rock/Pop/Dance or R&B/Rap/Dance. Some CHR stations play a significant amount of hits released during the past ten or fifteen years, particularly if there are insufficient current hit releases which fall within the station’s stylistic range. There are several subcategories, dominantly focusing on rock, pop, or urban music which includes Dance, Urban, Rhythmic, Adult CHR, Pop, 80s and so on and so forth. Besides this in the USA there are ethnic versions of CHR in the shape of Espanol and Tejano.

Even in India, where private radio is still in it’s infancy, CHR seems to be the all prevalent format or maybe one could say it’s the Bollywood format that defines it. But, in a city, if all the stations play the same kind of Bollywood music then what will be different. I mean who wants to catch the same Govinda song at the same time while jumping stations.

Get real guys……try thinking out of the box. And all the Stations Heads and Programming Heads need to put their act together because if you want the listeners for keeps and also the advertiser’s money, then all you got to do is to put your thinking caps on and that too…pronto.

Agreed, that radio is different than television but, remember that on TV atleast, you have the channel logos to guide you and if upcoming private radio stations don’t programme themselves effectively, then they will continue to remain the poor cousins of television. And they wouldn’t want that happening….would they.

FILM & FASHION
Drew’s weird choice

Hollywood star Drew Barrymore would love to meet up with Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen, because she’s always been attracted to weird men. Barrymore, whose screen credits include E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Wedding Singer, Fever Pitch and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, has been in a relationship with ‘The Strokes’ drummer Fabrizio Moretti since 2002, and insists she had some unusual pin-ups as a teenager.

“I like smart, weird, funny and sharp. The guys I had crushes on growing up were Ted Koppel and David Letterman,” the Sun quoted her as saying.

Politically savvy

Former Alias star Jennifer Garner has revealed that her husband, Ben Affleck, is educating her on politics. The Pearl Harbour star, who has always been fascinated by current events, is helping his wife brush her knowledge about world affairs.

Garner also admitted that she at times feels jealous of Affleck’s political knowledge, as she finds herself lagging behind in that area.

“I didn’t grow up in a politically active family like he did, and I’m jealous of him that way,” the Post Chronicle quoted her as saying. She said that she now likened politics to baseball, which becomes more interesting as a person grows more familiar to it. “I’m finally learning the difference between Sunni and Shia, you know what I mean? And thank goodness, I find that (Ben and I) are pretty much on the same page,” she added. —ANI

Best distributor

Kapsons Agencies Pvt. Ltd. has once again brought laurels to the city by winning ‘The Best Distributor of the Year’ award given by The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), India’s oldest and representative Association of Garment Manufacturers, Exporters and Retailers. It is for the 2nd time in continuation that Kapsons Agencies Pvt. Ltd. has bagged the Best Distributor of the year Award. Last year also, KAPSONS got the privilege to be recognised with the same award and also by ‘The best retailer of the year’ award by Lycra Images, for which it has been again nominated this year.

Kapsons Agencies Pvt. Ltd. is the marketers of eminent National and International brands like Pepe Jeans London, Puma, Arrow, Freelook, Shapes, Weekender, Tababchi, His Excellency, Rod & Vasari, Toonworld, Lee Youth & Numero Kids all across the Northern Sector. KAPSONS are not only the distributors of these brands but also hold the master franchise rights of opening the franchise stores of these brands in the region.

Kapsons Agencies Pvt. Ltd is a professionally managed company with a dedicated staff over 100 who serve all dealers in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Chandigarh and J& K and also in the areas of Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh. The company has recently been certified as ISO 9001:2000 for its proper, efficient and effective working procedures. — TNS

FILM REVIEW
Good storyline, tight screenplay

Last year was golden year for the Bollywood with a slew of blockbusters. But will the magic continue in 2007? Yes, it looks like a very promising year because the first biggie of 2007 Guru, which premiered at Toronto’s Elgin and winter Garden theatre on January 11 got good opening in India also. It seems fortune continues to smile at Abhishek Bachchan. It is a magnum opus for Junior Bachchan. Guru, which is produced and directed by Southern Mani Ratnam, has a tagline – ‘Villager, visionary, winner….”. Guru opened on Friday at Piccadily, Fun Republic and K.C. Panchkula.

Man Ratnam has always attempted to present something credible and realistic. Guru is his first biographical sketch on the life of one of India’ leading industrial tycoon late Dhirubhai Ambani.

Mani Ratnam Guru proves that we do not lack talented filmmakers who can make something different that’s entertaining too. Guru has beautiful visuals, a good storyline and a tight screenplay.

Abhishek Bachchan has come up with a career best performance. There is no doubt that he is the backbone of the film. Aishwarya Rai deserves praise for her role. Vidya Balan R. Madhavan, Mithun Chakroborty and Manoj Joshi are all good in their roles.

The music is haunting and what a excellent job by music composer A. R. Rehman. The film has an elegant music score well supported by Gulzar’s lyrics. Overall the movie is worth watching. Congrats, Mani Ratnam. — D.P.

WRITE TO RENNE
Let go the X-factor

I’m 26 years old and have been married for 5 years. We have a fairly good relationship and seem to be considered one of the happening couples around. Just the other day we were at a party and I discovered my husband’s ex-friend. I found out from a common friend that they had a long romance lasting 5 years when they were in college. Ever since I have not been able to sleep. All the time I am fretting over this fact life has become miserable ever since. I seem to not be able to get this girl out of my mind. I confronted my husband and be said it was only a college romance that they both parted amicably and there is no emotion at all in it now. But I cannot believe it. Please help us I am going crazy. Even if it is the past my jealously has no limits to it.

Shikha Chandigarh

Live in the present, as this is an immature way of handling a situation. There are so many people with stories attached to their past but as long as your present is not clouded by anything that happened then you really need worry. Concentrate on how you can make your relationship better. What ever happened in your husbands life before he met you, should really be of no consequence to you now. Most people slip their present by constantly focusing on the past while they allow the present to ship them by .You are just creating an agonizing situation for yourself for absolutely nothing. Find a good focus and go around doing things that interest you in life. Believe me it’s your ego that is hurt and that is what is causing you these twinges of jealousy. Allow your mind to balance your feelings. Learn to love life and forgive him if you so desire and let it make you happy your life is with him now and that is how you should look at life. Do not fret just learn to give him love. You will get back only what you give.

I am a 32 years old woman and recently came out of a divorce. I have two children in my custody and not enough money to fall back on. When I was married my husband had a pretty good time living off me. I was in a finance business and somehow when things started going downwards my husband found it very hard to cope with the new scenario. He started throwing tantrums and having mood swings, finally things became so bad that I had to just walk out of the situation. I felt that my children had to suffer the brunt of the situation. Now I am setting up a new business but the struggle is really tremendous. I am very tempted to take up a job where I feel that the struggle is very limited.

Amita Randhawa, Chandigarh

You were brave by coming out of your situation feeling sorted and cool. This is absolutely wonderful. It is never what happens in life that is as important as your own reaction to it. Out of every adversity comes an opportunity and you can say that God has given you a chance to prove your talent by making you start all over again. It is sad to hear that men get so motivated by money that even their emotions change with it, but the good part is that adverse situations help in teaching you many favourable things and values. Firstly of course you realise the value of money and start respecting it in order to change your attitude. Remember success is never about your outward trappings you must know where you stand within, that is your real strength and then of course balance in your life is very important. As far as the decision of taking up a job & doing your own thing is concerned, well it’s a very personal thing, if you want to be your own boss and co-ordinate your projects from home, spend more time with the kids, well then you must run your business. But taking up a job has its upon level of freedom attached to it. You are your own best judge follow your instinct on what is good for you.