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Millions for my mate It’s Friendship Day and you’ve found Aladdin’s lamp. What would you do? Read on...
You’ve fondly reminisced about the past, laughed over inane things, ripped into everyone and yes, hung out at the coolest places in town. You’ve called her in the middle of the night (to howl after breaking up with your boyfriend) and she’s got you playing midwife to her cat in wee hours of the morning. There are times, of course, when you crib and whine about each other, sulk or disagree vehemently, but then, don’t you relish that post-war making-up as well? For, between you, explanations and rules simply aren’t necessary. Toasting the good times and tiding over tough moments together— you’re practically each other’s Gibraltar! So what do you do when Friendship Day arrives? Thank your best buddy for all those wonderful moments with soppy dooh-daas and run-of-the-mill cards? Nah, not at least for city youngsters, who’d love to do extravagant things for their friends, provided they had pots of money. Cash may not be flooding their wallets yet, but these youngsters have their wish-list ready. Here’s what unlimited money sets them dreaming about… Shopper’s stop
It’s the wild, unfettered shopping spree that tops friends Deepti and Nivedita Gupta’s wish list, “Oh nothing beats the high of retail therapy. In fact both of us love to shop clothes, accessories and gizmos for ourselves. Endless money would mean doing the same thing, except that budgets would be ridiculous this time around! Agrees hosteller Savita Grover, “I’d treat my friend to a whole day of shopping at an international mall,” she smiles. Laughs Monika Gupta and her friend Yuvleen, “There’s a lot we’d do. Like gifting my friends with diamonds—-pink and champagne ones in quirky brooches and alluring bracelets. But we guess the best thing would be buying each of our friends a Merc each!” For Rabia Kataria and Pooja Makhija from PU’s Sarojini Hall, friendship’s an ongoing conversation, without any fullstops. No wonder, they’d like to treat each other to an expensive 80-day-world tour. “Rabia’s a travel freak and I’d take her on a world cruise. We could even hire a private jet and take off to Switzerland or Bali, soak up the sun and head for other exotic destinations,” giggles Pooja. Avers Tanya Garewal of DAV-10, “World tour’s an ideal gift for my pal Neha. And guess what, we’ll spend most of the time in Singapore casinos!” However, public administration students Priyanka Thakur and Avneet Sandhu feel nothing beats driving uphill, “We are a group of six and we freak out by going on long drives. But unlimited money naturally means we can do it in a big way, like drive away to all the popular hill stations in the country.” For gehri-lover Amrit Pal Singh, gifts are a big no-no. “I’d rather throw a stinking richie-rich party at a five-star, where all my friends can eat, drink and party the night away.” Agrees Aastha Jain from the Department of English, “I’d fly my friend down to some exotic island and throw a surprise bash. Nothing can beat the excitement of partying at an island amidst sand, wind and waves on a moonlit night, does it?” she chuckles. Simply sinuous
They may be leafing through the pages of Dr Faustus, studying that ‘gluttony is sin’, but these girls from PU’s English Department don’t seem to agree. No wonder, this peppy group of friends ‘take the cake’ (pun, very much intended!) when it comes to celebrating their friendship. Meet buddies Yuvleen, Harsimran and Monika Gupta, who’d love treating each other with sinfully scrumptious cakes. “I’d love to buy my friends all those yummy cakes and brownies from Monica’s. Creamy, fluff and lip smacking—-these cakes will surely make our day!” they chirp. Seems like the young don’t mind blowing bucks, or at least, dreaming about it, when it comes to cherishing their friendship. For, they might not share blood bonds, but eccentricity wise, aren’t friends siblings under their skins? And well, isn’t that what we call the magic of friendship. anandita@tribunemail.com |
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Together forever Time cannot wither, nor custom stale, the timeless beauty of her relationships. Amar Chopra of Sector 33 was in school in Delhi soon after Partition when she shared her dreams and ambitions with pals Gurvinder, Kamlesh and Shirni. Even today, the sixty-something is sharing their concerns, either through letters, or the phone. Ask her the secret, and Chopra’s instant reply is: “If you are waiting for the phone to ring, call! Or at least, post a greeting card on the New Year or other such occasions.” Smiling, she asserts: “Friendship is the best medicine for anyone. It’s more effective than laughter and cures you of all the ills, be it boredom or even depression.” Well, the housewife cherishes her time-honoured friendships. When she went to college, again in Delhi, Chopra got chummy with Jatinder Mamik. Though new chapters have been added since then, the two of them still flip through the book of friendship they both opened in their salad days. Sitting in her living room, Chopra recalls how during the college days, friends would embrace with open arms the concept of social work. It was during these social work excursions that Chopra shook hands with her friend-cum-mentor Delhi ‘s Development Commissioner M.C. Mehra. You may find it incredible, but she is still in touch with him though the retired commissioner is now putting up in Gurgaon and is going to be 88. “I make it a point to call him every now and then to tell him that everyone in my family here cares for him,” she says. Ask her the difference between the friendships now and then, and comes the prompt reply: “Now people change like seasons and friendships do not last beyond academic sessions. To make the matters worse, it remains confined to friends. The parents do not get involved in the process.” Chopra is in constant touch with all the relatives of her friends. “We are all like one family.” Keep it up, ma`am. Wish there were more like you. |
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For a new
you Varsha Khanna is here to help you discover the stylish side of your personality is a matchmaker with a difference. For, she helps you tie the knot with panache and elegance by suggesting combinations and styles that suit your persona. Not just for marriages and reception ceremonies, but for others occasions as well. Gals, she is there for you, be it a birthday bash, or a farewell. Just in case you still haven’t been able to figure it out, GCG-11 alumnus Varsha Khanna is a fashion styling consultant, giving people around her a new look. For helping you out in the process of making chic choices, the fashion guru has brought to the city, perhaps for the first time, the concept of full-fledged fashion consultancy. Well folks, Varsha formally launched her consultation services at the Taj, Chandigarh, Saturday afternoon. So now there is an agony aunt you can turn to for solving your problems. All you have to do is to tell her your requirement and she will come up with a suggestion. And if you are still scratching your head trying to understand the concept, ask Varsha. “With big brands lending style to the wardrobes, options have increased. There is so much to choose from, but you just do not know which colour, cut, or even fabric, will suit you the best,” she asserts. “In the absence of proper insight into the working of fashion, so many people tend to pick up just what appeals to them at first glance. And they end up making mistakes.” Varsha not only tells them all about the colour, fabric and the cut to suit their style, but also mixes and matches the stuff. She also gives tips on accessories to help you put together a great look. In case you want, she can help you pick up some great stuff from the shelves in the arcades by shopping along. She plans to focus on housewives, career women, college girls and even women in their middle ages, along with brides-to-be. The charges depend upon the extent and type of consultancy. But Varsha says in the long run it will come out to be cheaper because you will pick up garments you won’t discard as unsuitable. Maybe, you won’t even have to buy new stuff. She will help in combining what you have, differently and gracefully. Good. But how did she get into fashion consultancy? “Well, styling is the mantra that can make all the difference between an average looker and a head turner,” she says. “But, unfortunately not many women take recourse to expert advice. So, I decided to launch consultancy service to sensitise women on the critical side of fashion; and also to help them discover a more stylish side of their personalities.” Sounds cool! Keep it up,
Varsha. |
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FILM & FASHION Singer Kylie Minogue was mistaken for a waitress while filming science fiction show Doctor Who. The 39-year-old donned a traditional black waitress’ uniform for a scene outside a five-star hotel, when an old lady asked her for a cup of tea. “Excuse me love, is it too late for a cup of tea?” The lady asked. Minogue plays a waitress working aboard the RMS Titanic in Christmas special titled Voyage of the Damned. According to a source the singer giggled when the pensioner mistook her for a member of staff in Swansea “It was comical. Kylie may be a big star but this old dear obviously didn’t realise. Kylie saw the funny side—she just laughed,” the source said. Boozing helps Clooney
Actor George Clooney believes that it is the lifetime of boozing and gambling that has helped him become a successful film star. The actor said so during his recent visit to Tokyo for the publicity of his latest movie Ocean’s Thirteen. “I practised drinking and gambling for around 25 years to prepare for this role,” he said adding how he felt about playing suave conman Danny Ocean for the third time. His lean new look is in sharp contrast to how he appeared while filming Syriana, for which he had piled on 30lbs and grew an unflattering beard. Meanwhile, Clooney has vowed to keep in shape now that he has shed more pounds than he had put on for playing the Oscar-winning role.
— ANI |
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First Day First Show It is a strange irony. A man who is changing the destiny of millions of his countrymen cannot redeem his own son. “The greatest regret of my life has been that I could not convince two people —- my friend Mohammad Ali Jinnah and my own son Harilal,” Gandhi admits. The pathos of his situation betrays the emotional vulnerability of a father who is otherwise a strict disciplinarian and a principled man to the outside world. He is remarkably tolerant of Harilal’s conversion to Islam and reconversion to Hinduism. Their clash of convictions, values and aspirations ends whenever Harilal comes back to him and his mother, Kasturba (Shefali Shah), after committing a mistake. But Harilal’s tragedy is that his past keeps on corroding his present. Whenever he tries to move two steps forward, he puts four steps backward. He gets a job but ends up committing a fraud. He starts a business but lands in financial trouble. His relationship with his wife, Gulab (Bhumika Chawla) who does not approve of his questionable activities, gradually gets strained with the result that she leaves the house along with their kids and subsequently dies. Shaken by her untimely demise, Harilal goes adrift and finally drinks himself to death. Aksheya Khanna weaves a riveting account of the turbulent existence of Gandhi’s wayward son in director Feroz Abbas Khan’s web of emotions. He slips into the skin of the character with amazing ease. The scene in which he just shakes and trembles in front of his dead wife’s photograph is a piece of avant garde cinema. His encounters with his mother and father are remarkable for their sensitivity. Darshan Jariwala essays the role of Mahatma Gandhi with panache. Where the director falters is too much exploration of the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi while the story is mainly about Harilal Gandhi. Shefali Shah as Kasturba gives a powerful performance. In some sequences, she impresses you more than Darshan Jariwala. Bhumika Chawla is effective in her miniscule role as Harilal’s wife Gulab. Though not a cathartic audience experience, Gandhi... can stir your emotions. Showing at: Fun Republic, Kiran Classic makeover
Showing at: Fun Republic Cash registers (not) ringing Fifteen minutes into the movie and you wonder whether you have mistakenly run into Surf Up, an animation film being screened at the auditorium adjoining the one where you have gone to see Cash. With a liberal sprinkling of animation, it could only belong to that genre, you surmise. As you are about to throw in the towel, comes the information that it is indeed the feature film, Cash that you are watching. Director Anubhav Sinha says the film has the proverbial willing suspension of disbelief stuff. How true! You watch in bewilderment as story after story unfolds in two-and-a-half hours. Part Loafer, part Jugnu and part Ocean’s 11,12,13, the storyline goes haywire everytime a new character enters. Whether it is conman Ajay Devgan, robbers Esha Deol, Zayed Khan, Dia Mirza and Riteish Deshmukh, mafia don Suneil Shetty or law protector Shamita Shetty making a stylish entry, the story which is about the theft of priceless diamonds in South Africa does not get on the track. Needless songs, indifferent acting and confused storytelling make it an unbearable experience. If the makers of Cash think they can set the cash registers ringing, they should think again. It is easier to turn film characters into caricatures than live audiences. Showing at: Fun Republic, Batra
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Write to Renee
I’m 32 years old, married for a year and desperately looking for the man I married in my husband. We used to spend a lot of time together and never seemed to be enough. After one year of marriage, I feel I don’t know this man at all. What do I do? Ritika Chawla,
Chandigarh We all change with circumstances, and you can’t expect him to woo you forever. Confronting him won’t help; just try dating him again. Go out for a candle light dinner, plan a surprise vacation, play his favourite music when he gets home. Stop being miserable and reach out to him with a new zest for
life. * * * I have been married for almost three years and we have a month-old baby girl. I am a pilot and have taken leave to spend some time with my family. But, ever since I’m here my wife is snappy, short tempered and seems out to get me for every little reason. She gets agitated even when I cuddle my little baby. How do I make things better? Atul Kataria,
Panchkula Your wife is perhaps going through a postnatal depression. The stress of having a baby does take a toll on many women. Make her feel loved and appreciated. I think every woman
deserves it after going through the ordeal of bringing another human being into the world. *
* * My 14-year-old daughter seems to be low on self-esteem. She says, “My friends are right, I’m very stupid”. Her grades are falling and I have observed a change in her eating patterns too. Do you think we need to take her to a counsellor? Ruhi Juneja,
Chandigarh Give your child unconditional love. If she is lacking in self-esteem, check on the environmental conditioning you have been providing her with. Also do check on her peer group situation. Visiting a counsellor would help, but there is a whole lot that you can do. lifestyletribune@gmail.com
or C/o Lifestyle, The Tribune, Sector 29-C, Chandigarh |
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The ‘F’ factor Youngsters pick up and discard pals like mobile recharge coupons. The validity of friendship has been cut from a lifetime to a year That’s right, it’s easy come, easy go. No reaction, no repercussions. As everything, right from proposing to dating and winning all those alluring trophies of love, is permissible on the F-Day; the whole thing is actually that simple for the young fellow-girl seekers. So if you think Dale Carnegie’s companionship bible How to win friends and influence people is still required for getting on the good side of the femmes , you need to open a new chapter of experience in life. For, in the era of direct mobile connectivity, friendship needs no brochures. It’s instant. “Gone are the days when the academic session would end without flipping through the book of friendship with the next-bench girl,” says young business executive with a MNC, Raman Sharma. “Now youngsters pick up pals like mobile recharge coupons. And, discard them as soon as the talk-time is over.” Well, if in the process the validity of friendship is being reduced from a lifetime to less than a year, the youthful crowd just doesn’t care. For, the options before them are simply unlimited, at stake too little. “No one writes In Memoriam for a lost friend. And, tales of sacrifices are limited to soaps. In real life, you nowadays hardly get an opportunity to thank god for a trusty chum,” asserts under-grad Rahul Verma. “It’s all very transient… out of sight, out of mind.” Bond with the best
“Bid adieu to the conventional multicolored bands. Refresh ties by going in for ribbons embellished with seashells and sequins,” says Raman of a gift shop in Sector 11. The stuff, imported from China and other places. You can take home a band for your ardent friend for under Rs 75. Guys, before you go shopping, here is a strip of the day’s history culled from the Internet — Friendship Day across the world is celebrated on the first Sunday of August so that you can appreciated you pals present all around you in so many shapes, sizes and guises. Present perfect
And now back to the gifts. Just in case the idea of tying a band around your friend’s wrist does not sound appealing, write a nice card for your buddy. Pursuing a graduation in humanities from a local college, Sanjeev Kapoor has just spilled his heart out after picking up a ‘Friendship Day’ special card. “You actually have so much to choose from this time,” says Krishna Sahoonja of Dewsuns. “Cards commemorating the day were always there, but messages were never so touching.” You can also buy or prepare small presents for your pals. Go in for flowers, chocolates or anything else that catches your imagination. Plus-two student Vishesh Sharma has just prepared a paper flower for his childhood friend. He plans to leave the gift anonymously at her doorstep for the added intrigue! Take the cue and remember to enjoy the day with the promise of a long lasting friendship. Celebrated works
Companionship has always found a place of great significance in literature. In Memoriam A.H.H. is a long poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Completed in 1849, it is a requiem for his Cambridge friend Arthur Henry Hallam, who died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage. And then, you have so many quotes. To begin with, you can jot down French author-cum-philosopher Albert Camus’ quote — ‘Don’t walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend’. You also have a quote by American radio host for several decades Bernard Meltzer. He says: “A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.” Come on, guys! Memorise them. Who knows you may get an opportunity to impress people with quotable quotes. saurabh@tribunemail.com |
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Bond without the Bucks Broke? Not to worry, here’s how to celebrate Samosas, last minute-examination fees, trinkets for your girlfriend(s), popcorns during flicks, down payment for your laptop, fuel for the car, your share each time you went out to eat, and much more. Your friends have been your ATM ever since. Hmm`85now that at least saves you from getting worried over the world celebrating Friendship Day with glam and glitter. For, your buddies know that you have actually never seen a piggy bank in your life, they have failed to convince you to get a recurring bank account and of course, the Oxford dictionary is not good enough to explain you the difference between need and want. They understand it all and they better do, for, isn’t that what friends are for? So, how about a practical approach to the day? If somehow you manage to borrow, beg or steal to procure a token of love for your buddy today, you will have little left to sustain your lavish lifestyle for the remaining 26 days. And whether you are rich or bankrupt, we all agree that thoughts speak louder than materialistic things. So, here’s what all you perpetually below poverty line people can do: Toss up a treat You know, and so does your friend, that you are a lousy cook. So what? Let feelings score. All you chefs-in-the-making, explore the umpteen ready-to-eat options. Or make choco balls: Crush 250 gm Marie biscuits mix with 75 gm butter and 75 gm cocoa powder and 50 gm powdered sugar in a large bowl. Shape the mixture into balls. Sprinkle dessicated coconut and voila! There’s nothing like reaching out to your friends heart through the stomach. Especially for U For all those who work on Sundays (and yes, hate to), how about taking an off for your friend? No casual, medical or privilege, call it a best friends day off. Spend the whole day together. Gossip, eat, watch TV or do nothing at all. Flick with friends Rent a VCD or DVD that you and your friends enjoyed watching together or always wanted to. To add to the cinematic experience, grab a pack of chips or popcorn. And if you are a ‘Friends’ fan, then catch the marathon of the series from 8 am onwards on Star World (17 episodes). Be a child again You have grown up together, played ghar ghar, pulled each other’s hair over trump cards, held a battle between robots et al. Give yourself a break and be a child again. Grab a candyfloss, ride a tricycle, buy a chocolate and divide into equal parts, play Ludo or Snakes ‘n’ Ladders (online or board game, as you choose) Cross your heart As children you swore on every li’l thing. This time cross your heart and confess all that you did to your friend in the past. You fell in love with his ex-girlfriend, used gel to copy his spikes, purposely burnt her dress while ironing, and made sure the box of goodies that came for him never reached him. I hate to... All of us have our list of chores that we simply hate to do. Washing the car each morning, cleaning our room, ironing our clothes, paying the bills, giving our dog a bath and much more. Please your friend; help her/him with some of these daily chores that bore. Recharge the bond Remember the innumerable times you used his cell to message the love of your life? Outgoing barred, low battery, credit limit exceeded, no network coverage the good ol’ friend’s mobile always came to your rescue. Get his phone recharged and watch the expression on his face. Picture Perfect Get hold of a picture of you and your friend. Big or small, fine or tattered, old or new, anything would do. Go to the local frame shop and capture the memories in a metal or still cheaper glass frame. Do ask for inexpensive and smart. Pics on your mobile won’t do that magic. Yeh Dosti... Get nostalgic, swing to old numbers like Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin Chhodenge, Yaari hai imaan mera, Hum se tum dosti kar lo, Tera mera yaraana,Yaaron dosti or call up a radio station and dedicate a song to your buddy. DIY Give all the brands a tough fight. Grab a chart paper, a box of crayons, scissors, pencil and eraser. Draw whatever appeals: if a non-artist, go in for an abstract creation. Or how about a handmade friendship band? Here’s how: Take three sets of coloured thread. Tie a knot at one end, leaving two cm of the thread open. Then plait the three sets of thread, knot the other end as well. Again leave two cm of the thread open at the end. Tie it on your friend’s wrist and enjoy the million-dollar smile on his/her face. purva@tribunemail.com
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Instant fame
You can whip up innovative recipes with Kurkure and get famous in the bargain like Ruchika Garg. She whipped the ‘Kurkure Salty Ice-Cream Cones’ and was declared the Kurkure Chai Time Achievers. The other family from the city to earn the distinction is Alka Puri’s, who created a Kurkure Punjabi Parantha. Now both families’ photographs will be on over a million packs. —
TNS
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Cane held in the opposite hand greatly reduces stress on the arthritic knee joint. — Dr Ravinder Chadha
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With depths of depravity and heights of despondency, the landscape of Gandhi My Father is not emerald green. Muted colours of melancholy dot it. Trauma runs deep through the mind of a loving father, Mahatma Gandhi (Darshan Jariwala), whose world has been torn asunder by a recalcitrant son, Harilal Gandhi (Aksheya Khanna), desperate to come out of the shadows of the dhoti-clad icon.
Elsewhere, rewind to the past — 50 years to be exact — to enjoy the lilting numbers of O.P. Nayyar in B.R. Chopra’s Naya Daur, which has been reinvented in colour. The movie, which is about the fight between the man and machine and has Dilip Kumar, Vyjanthimala, Ajit and Jeevan playing stellar roles may have been resurrected by spending crores of rupees. However, it seems there are not many takers for it as is evident from the poor audience response. But that does not deprive the classic of its intrinsic beauty and the excitement about the newer version may sink in in the coming days.
The system of getting in good with strangers has never been so user-friendly. Embracing the concept of celebrating free-for-all socialising days with open arms, guys from the ever-willing-to-mingle brigade simply scribble on greeting cards. Or better still pick up nice chocolates; catch hold of all those gorgeous looking gals, and simply place the stuff on their open palms on Friendship Day. 
Awful folks! But just in case you wish to strengthen the bond with your second self, remember to pick up a nice friendship band.