Men & Venus
A tête-à-tête with city-based Mel Gibsons and Kabir Khans who have landed themselves in an all-women zone
Anandita Gupta

Haven’t there been times, when women (the fanatic feminist fraternity included) feel a twitch of envy looking at the men around — spewing invectives, getting into fights and turning up with a bloody nose, roaming around with their bare-hairy chests, wolf-whistling their way to college, piling up towels on floors and staring at girls, anytime, anywhere? And yet, felt helpless in snatching away these lil’ liberties (despite all that women empowerment) from this species from Mars? Well, here’s finally some cheer for ‘Venusians’. Some dwellers from Mars (remember John Grey’s Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus) have mistakenly landed on Venus — an all-women zone. So, how are the women turning the tables on these Martians? We chat up our local Mel Gibsons and Kabir Khans to find out.

Mirror mirror on the wall…

He actually loves playing Mel Gibson. Not that destiny’s been kind enough to empower him with a perception into ‘What Women Want’. However, fashion designer Rachhan Alhuwalia has a fair insight into city-women’s minds, “Fashion is 90 per cent about women, and just 10 per cent about men. Naturally, I’ve been dealing with women clients since 12 years and can read their minds.”

So, what do his women clients want? “My recipe for women clients remains unbeatable — dollops of compliments, some honest advice, a pinch of respect and of course, a winsome smile!” avers Rachhan, who’s presently set shop in Sector 37. But isn’t this recipe too sweet to be digested, landing in trouble at times, we wonder. Explains the designer, “While flattering a woman about what suits her personality is good, one shouldn’t get over friendly. I ensure my clients get the vibe that I’m just a great professional they can count on, nothing beyond that.”

Tactful transparency

Remember Urmila Matondkar in Pyar Tune Kya Kiya, literally driving Fardeen Khan (fashion photographer in the film) up the wall? Well, for city-based fashion choreographer Gagreen Saini, it has never come to that, though similar situations do arise. “Thanks to my wife Jaspreet, who’s a model-cum-choreographer, my work’s taken as work and complications in our relationship don’t arise. But yes, I deal with a lot of female models all the time. While most maintain a healthy distance, there are some who’d do anything to grab an extra slice of limelight. Besides, some are desperate to get the first entry on stage and assassinate the choreographer’s character if he gives it to somebody else. The solution lies in calling girls in groups and maintaining a lot of transparency,” quips the man of the ramp, who’s been choreographing since 1997.

So, how’s it been handling Shweta Menon, Manpreet Brar, Naina Dhaliwal and Shikha Swarup? Smiles Saini, “One has to handle their moods and tantrums and when we go for a show in relatively remote areas, I’m really concerned about their security. But then, most of them respect me for being honest with my work.”

Healthy distance

Girls may be swooning over Chak De’s Kabir Khan, while munching caramel popcorns at Fun Republic, but how about real life coaches with bodies worth at least a crush? Ask Lake Club’s gym instructors Rabinder Pal Singh-27 (a national level body-builder, Volleyball player and bhangra freak) and Shammi Kumar-23 (Gymnast-cum-aerobics instructor) and you get shy smiles, “While instructing the boys, one can be at ease. For, shout at them, and they won’t cry. Laugh with them, and it’s purely bonding with buddies. But girls are more sensitive to criticism. So, we make it a point to be soft towards them. At the same time, we try and wear a reserve, so as to avoid sending any wrong signals.” Sensitive yet reserved — may not seem an easy mantra, but who said it was easy fitting into a woman’s world?

anandita@tribunemail.com

Elvis forever
Parbina Rashid

Tributes to the legend on his 30th death anniversary in his hometown, Memphis, on Thursday.

When my all-time favourite Can’t Help falling In Love With You came with a slight quiver as Errol Rodriques sang for a select audience, my conclusion was it must be an improvisation by our local singer. Only later, we were told that he sang it the Elvis Presley way. This was news to many of us, for we had associated the song with UB 40.

Not surprising, considering the fact that we are still in the process of re-discovering Elvis, according to Errol. “It’s only in the past five-six years that the young and old aike are showing interest in Elvis numbers,” says the lead of the three-member group, Rodrigues. The trend in the city, according to Errol, is to listen Elvis’ slow, soft and emotional numbers rather than his rock-and-roll. “I personally love his Love Me Tender, Are You Lonesome Tonight, It’s Now or Never. Among the fast ones, his Jailhouse Rock remains a most-requested one, tells Errol. A trend that can be attributed to the fact that so many contemporary singers have sung Elvis songs.

Pavan Khaitan, businessman and music lover, admits that he has been hooked to Elvis for six years. “His songs are melodious and inspiring,” says Khaitan, who is in his 40’s. “ough he has a wide repertoire of music for every tastebuds,” he adds.

The trend is further confirmed by Music World. “There is a regular demand for Elvis albums,” says Narinder Babrah of the store.

“Elvis’ is the best voice in the history of music. He was a trendsetter who started performance music in form of Rock-n-Roll,” says Lalit of Triangle, another local band. However, according to Lalit, there are not too many Elvis fans in town, except for the Generation Past ‘which understands good music’. “Youngsters are fond of punk rock and hip-hop. Even we singers do not attempt to sing Elvis songs, because his songs are difficult. But I love listening to Elvis. He was what Rafi was to Indian music,” says Lalit.

However, it’s not his voice alone, which is attracting music lovers of the city. Michelangelo Francis, a singer, admires Elvis for his sideburns, his enviable collection of studded belts and boots and also his diamond-studded pink Impala. “He was a singer, performer and style icon — all rolled into one. He brought a style revolution, like Kishore Kumar,” he says.

Whatever may be the reason, the fact remains, as pointed out by Pavan, Elvis’ legend will live longer than the singer lived.

youth speak
Game of politics
Ankur

We know that politics is a dirty game and it attacks and harms our society in different ways. Be it clearing an interview for a government job or getting out of everyday trouble, a backing from a politician comes as a relief. And while most of our politicians are illiterate, they know how to play the game of politics quite well.

The educated youngsters need to come forward in politics if they want to see the nation develop. Student politics is the first step towards mainstream politics and if universities do not produce educated politicians, the nation will continue to be ruled by a pack of illiterate and inefficient politicians.

In the next few days Panjab University will have its students election. Here is some advice for our student leaders. As leaders in the making let us teach all that politics is much more than the art of speculating, calculating and cracking secret deals. 

Radio plays Cupid
Saurabh Malik

Radio is tuning into a unique role. From just a constant companion, the chatter box is fast getting into the business of broadcasting its whole new image of the great Indian emotional bazaar. Right, a platform from where so many listeners offer not just their ideas, goods and services; but also themselves! Solid, cheap and readily available.

Finding it all too confusing? Well, just tweak the tuner for catching one of the private FM radio stations in the evenings. You will hear city guys, and even gals, presenting themselves with complete testimonials in cheerful voices, earnestly and ardently.

You may not realise that the listeners are actually publicising themselves in no uncertain terms. For, there are no jingles in the background. And, the usual marketing adjectives like ‘100 per cent replacement guaranteed’ and ‘completely durable’ are missing in the copy. But at the same time, the task goes on, successfully.

Just in case you do not know, the entire operation is carried out during one of the ‘setting’ programmes aired daily on the radio. The intention is clear to bring the guys and gals together on a single stage for them to play their role in the little game of proposing.

The system is not so complicated. Riding high on the radio waves, you call up the anchor and tell her the telephone number of the guy or gal you wish to air your feelings to. She, in turn, does the job for you.

After calling up the familiar stranger of your dreams on the other line, she allows you to whisper sweet nothings loud and clear. As you talk your heart out, she acts as a mediator and helps in the process of ‘setting’.

The story in all the cases is almost identical. A youngling in a chirpy voice says excitedly: “Hi, I am Varun!”

Well, he can be Tarun, or Sandy, or even Vaneet. It really does not matter. The contents of the messages remain more or less the same: “I am working as a young executive with a private firm…” Then comes the description: height, complexion and age.

What follows is an earnest attempt to make the girl or the guy on the other side understand and realise who the caller is. “You have seen me in the canteen… Ya! I am the one who sits on the corner seat… Bingo! You have got it.”

“And then, it’s time for them to be private in public and tell the entire city everything about their intimate emotions,” says Sector 42 resident-cum-ardent radio-listener Rahul Sharma. “If pals, relatives, or even parents are listening, they are just not bothered about it. After all, the society is turning permissible.”

Guys, not all younglings on the line are staying in houses away from homes. Some of them are putting up with their families, right in your neighbourhood. But still, before you know it, the ‘deal’ is finalised. The date, the time and the venue of meeting is fixed right there and then.

Well, those in the radio-line have a simple explanation to offer. “The radio is just catering to the growing demand of youngsters,” says a radio-jockey. “The young crowd is big time into social networking at a global level by logging on to Orkut and other sites. At a more local level, they socialise through the radio.”

Heaving a deep sigh, he says: “The aim is to bring people together, and I do not see any harm. In any case, it’s not really a bazaar where emotions are exchanged. Only strangers, who would never have talked to each other, get a chance of interacting”. Well, fellows, the idea of a blind date is not all that bad. What say? 

Yo man! 
It’s all about winding & unwinding, ups & downs... 
Saurabh Malik

If you are hanging on like a yo-yo waiting for excitement to come bouncing your way, it’s time for you to add some spin to your life. Just drive down to the arcade and pick up a nice little yo-yo. Come on guys, the entire city’s doing it.

That’s right fellows. After Pokemon and bey-blades, yo-yos are the latest scream amidst the youngsters. In the school bags, out on the streets, everywhere you look, there are kiddos opening a new chapter in exhilaration with yo-yos. Yo man! The craze is catching up.

Go to the college, or even the varsity, campuses. Even there you find youngsters spinning the wheel of delight, merrily. Sipping coffee or mobile chatting, their hands, detached from the mind, are constantly engaged with the boy-toy.

No, fellows. Now don’t be a yo-yo (a not-so-intelligent person)! We are not talking about water balloons attached to flexible strings. That was something kids in the 80s used to play with. The yo-yos today are all very different. And expensive!

Technically speaking, the newer version of yo-yos consists of two round discs, about 1.3 cm thick and five cm in diameter. The discs are glued together. Right in the middle is a twine that allows for a drop of 60-90 cm.

As you let lose the spool, it spins up and down upon the string. In the hands of a novice, a typical yo-yo spins for not more than 10 to 15 seconds. An expert, on the other hand, can make it go on and on. In fact, he can make it spins at nearly 125 revolutions or even more per second.

“It’s made of breakable plastic. And like all good things, it too comes to an end if not handled with caution,” says Chetan Kumar of a Sector 11 chunk jewellery and gift shop. “You have to pull out something like Rs 350 from your wallet if you buy the stuff from one of those hi-fi toy shops in Sector 17, or even 22. It’s available for half the price in rehri-market kiosks and some other toy shops across the city.”

And why this craze? Ask Natasha Sharma, and the second year humanities student will tell you all about it: “It’s almost addicting. Start it once and you never want it to end. Otherwise also, the toy has so much in common with life. You see, it’s all about winding and unwinding, about ups and downs.”

Elaborating, she says: “Guys, there’s a lesson in it. What goes down must come up. And you wind only to unwind.” Well said Natasha! There is gravity in play too.

saurabh@tribunemail.com

Chinese again!

The spool-like toy attached to one end of a string that reportedly came to the US from the Philippines is invading the Indian markets like never before. Most yo-yos, up for grabs in the city markets, are imported from China. The word “yo-yo” comes from Tagalog, a language spoken in the Philippines. It literally means “come back”. Information available on the Internet says yo-yos were brought into play for hunting, even fighting, in the Philippines Islands in the 16th century.

 Yesteryear 
once more

When Kala Maitri, the alumni association of the Government College of Art, celebrated the Founder’s Day on August 16 last year, it did it with style and amid much fanfare in Sector 17. It was also the launching pad for Kala Maitri. So, this year when we were led to a corner room where the association organised a drawing workshop to celebrate the occasion, it was a little disappointing.

“Do not be disappointed. We will organise our annual exhibition in a big way, not just in Chandigarh but in other cities as well,” we were assured by the core members of Kala Maitri. So the affair this year was a little sober — a tree plantation programme besides the workshop, in which about 100 new and old students of the college took part. However, the significant step was Maitri’s decision to replace the present logo with the one which was the symbol when the institution was first set up as the school of Arts and Craft in Shimla in 1951, as an off-shoot of Mayo School, Lahore.

“The original logo was classier, hence we are discarding the one which was introduced when the college was shifted to its present location in 1964,” said principal Brahm Prakash, who inaugurated the workshop by drawing a human form in two seconds flat. Following his lead, others brought alive their imagination with pencil strokes — Anil Sharma portrayed his version of freedom, Ravinder Heer traced some folk motifs, R. P. Verma in his Past and Present captured the declining value system and D. S. Kapoor, who is the president of Kala Maitri drew water waves. Chief guest Vivek Atray, too dabbled his hands and came up with sketches of a cricket stadium.

The next in line is the annual exhibition of the association that will be based on the visual history of the college since its inception. — P. R.

Finding the real U
Parbina Rashid

Home versus career. Which one should a woman choose?

Having socially conditioned to value the former rather than the latter, a majority of us opt for homemaking and think about pursuing our career only after the children grow up. But is it an easy choice to live with? For, social conditioning is one thing and individual creativity another. So what does one do? Especially when one is high on motivation but low on confidence.

We seek out a few brave women who have shaken years of inertia and come out of their homes to keep pace with the changing world. And, all this without disturbing the delicate balance of their home life.

Meet Rajni Garg, a 45-year-old, who has proved that if one has the will, there is a way. After 20 years of sitting at home, Rajni was a happy mother and a happy wife, but an unhappy individual. A classically trained singer she oft compared her career graph with her friend and singer Alka Yagnik. Things changed when she joined a radio jockey course.

She says, “I knew I had a good voice and the process of communicating with the audience via radio brought a change in my personal life too.” Today, she is more confident and respects herself more as an individual.

Joining her with their newfound confidence are two young homemakers Rasham Malik and Priya Kulshrestha, who joined the course in order to ‘find themselves’. Rasham was running an HR agency from home but being confined to home resulted in a fall in her confidence level.

“Coming out from that protective cocoon and communicating with the world has changed my perspective towards life and made me a happier person,” she says. The story of Priya is also familiar. A newsreader with a TV channel, she gave up her career to take care of the family.

“I sat at home for four years and had even lost the confidence to go out on my own. Now, that I am back doing research work, reading newspapers and presenting it to the world, I am ‘me’ again,” says Priya.

Adding new dimensions to her persona and enriching her family life too is Sukhbir Kaur. In her mid forties, Sukhbir found her lost confidence at one of the grooming schools in the city. “There are certain things that one cannot learn sitting at home. One needs to constantly invent and re-invent oneself to keep up with the changing pace,” she adds.

“Women have a natural instinct as a caregiver, but she should not deny herself the creativity that lay within. It is sad to see when a woman realises years later that she too would like to do something by stepping outside the home. But by that time the confidence level has gone down and inertia set in,” says Harleen Sekhon of Grace Academy in Sector 8. The academy has had grown-up women coming to them with the confidence level of a 15-year-old.

Well, the question whether one should fulfill one’s desire at the cost of devoting time to the family will always be there. The dilemmas and clashes of values are bound to bog one down at times. But then again, only a happy woman is a happy homemaker.

parbina@tribunemail.com 

SIDELANES
When hobbies take wing
Joyshri Lobo

The kites soared. They were huge and intricately detailed. We sat on the beach and watched as mermaids, dragons, cowboys, butterflies, snakes, birds, pigs and spacecraft soared into the blue sky, maneuvered on a string by those who had brought them from different corners of the globe. Their tails were long and snaked through the breeze. The Kite Festival at Goa is a seasonal event.

Sandy, an artist from the UK, stood before a huge canvas and splashed blues and greens. Her Work in Progress captured the moment. By the evening, she auctioned it to the highest bidder.

A few canvas stalls, safe from the lapping water, hung out bright kites for sale. Some paper and bamboo contraptions rose while others floundered and landed in a tangle and tear on the sand. The kite makers were from Rajasthan. They too had learnt to make exquisite pieces in different materials. Leather and paper were popular options. From childhood capers, there emerged successful business partnerships.

Cruise through Chandigarh to choose stunning pottery and stuffed toys from the roadside. You can acquire beautiful cushion covers at ridiculously low prices from street vendors.

Jasjot Sekhon’s, a professor at the Khalsa College, Patiala, daughter did a doctorate in psychology and longed to turn out magazine-perfect cakes and quiches. Sweet Nothings in Sector 8 sells these artistically decorated creations at competitive rates. It remains open late to cater to the over-worked husband who suddenly remembers his wife’s birthday. It is a cake house with a heart and a personal touch. Children bring their own favourite cartoon characters to be magically baked into reality.

As a child, Jasjot dabbled in flour and raisins. At sixteen, she combined these with eggs and brought out a cake. On her daughter Saira’s second birthday, she baked a marvel, which led to an idea. The idea was good and the bakery became a reality.

A perfect education means to enjoy what we learn and apply it to our lives. It should make us comfortable lucre-wise and ensure a roof over our heads. The familial mafia of daddyji, mummyji, aunts and uncles, ought not to dictate our life paths and professions. They should only guide and direct our talents and inclinations. How many of us can allow this freedom to our children? How many of us enjoy the professions we undertake? How many of us can convert our hobbies into life goals?

So when I see this post-grad in psychology sifts flour and removes crumbs from her hair and lashes, I wonder how she applies her subject to the chocolate and sugar in the bowl. I am sure the answer is a perfect one for the current, modern education.

Reaching for the stars
After playing Akshay’s father in Namaste London, local actor Gurkirtan is now part of Aamir’s latest film Taare Zameen Par
Parbina Rashid

He was pulled towards silver screen because the Punjabi film industry needed a villain. Gurkirtan fitted the bill — owner of a tall imposing physique with a rich baritone voice. The acting career, which started in 1976 with his theatre group The Stage, has been evolving ever since — first as actor, then villains in Punjabi films and then character roles in Bollywood flicks. It was Vipul Shah who offered him a meaty role in Namaste London that paved the way for him to work with none other than iconic Aamir Khan in Taare Zameen Par.

So, when his imposing self made an entry in the Life Style office, dwarfing all others, to show the Lagaan kit which Aamir specially designed for his few select friends, the first thing we asked him to tell us was all about Aamir, uncut. The kit contains a handwritten letter stating how much it meant to Aamir to share the tid-bits from the films (it included a few cutting of the original footage)

“He is a mad man,” the statement made us gulp but the look on his face told us clearly how much he adores this mad man. “Only a mad man can work the way he does,” comes the clarification. On a more serious tone, he shares, “He is a wonderful person to know, both on screen and off screen. He cares for his unit members and it shows. He recalls how on one of the days of shooting, Aamir hosted a dinner just for him. “Aamir, Kiran and me spent the entire evening talking about everything under the sky,” he says.

Gurkirtan plays the role of a schoolteacher/ warden in Taare Zameen Par. The story revolves around a young naughty child who breaks all man-made rigid rules. Aamir also plays a teacher who believes in flexibility and alternative methods of education.

So do we have the hope of entering the Oscar list once again? “This one is a Oscar winner,” says Gurkirtan with conviction. “Aamir has given his best to this film and has been careful not to repeat the mistakes he had made in Lagaan,” he says. As we express our curiosity to know the mistakes in Lagaan, Gurkirtan fills us in, “Lagaan was mainly an entertaining film with too many song and dance sequences while Taare Zameen Pe is realistic. We do have a few dance numbers but they are all an integral part of the script.”

Will the experience of being part of an Aamir film help the Punjabi film industry? “To be honest, I did not learn much on the acting front. The role was not all that challenging and I just had to be myself, that too without any trace of make up. But I learnt a lot about directing. Aamir has an amazing eye for details, which I have not seen in any other director.” The flick will be released this December.

Doing it the Aamir way

Sample this: Aamir had to capture this scene of a boy running in a lawn in front of his boarding school in Panchgani. The fixed cameras could not capture the scene to Aamir’s satisfaction. So what does a director do? If he is Aamir than he will strap a heavy Sturdy Cam with wire hanging all around and run forward and backward to capture the scene.

Taal se taal mila
S.D. Sharma

The catchy background signature tune played on the tabla to delineate the Taza Khabar and News in Brief on Aaj Tak had become synonymous with the name of Athar Hussain, the little tabla wizard, who composed and played it. The shy Delhi-based Athar has gained international prominence as a tabla maestro.

The child prodigy, Athar was initiated into music at the age of eight by his maternal uncle, Ustad Shanne Khan before he opted for the blessed tutelage of his present guru Ustad Manju Khan of Ajrada gharana.  Says Athar, “Rhythm (tal)  is of  a vital significance in musicology as it regulates the relative duration of musical sounds.” Supplementing the views of Ustads, he maintains, “The rhythmic patterns were discovered even before the musical sounds. Tal patterns were observed in nature itself like in the murmur of waves, whispering of leaves or grass or warbling of birds.”

He believes that regular riyaz and theoretical knowledge of grammar is the success mantra for any percussionist. Athar has had the honour of accompanying wizards in classical music like Pandit Jasraj, Rajender Prasanna as well as ghazal maestros like Ghulam Ali and Hussain Bakash. Also, he has given solo performances in India and in sixteen other countries. The memorable moments that rejuvenate him include adulations showered on him by Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shanker and the former US president Bill Clinton, after a music concert in New York. 

New releases
Get ready to laugh away the weekend

MARIGOLD
Director: Willard Caroll
Starring: Salman Khan, Ali Larter,
Nandna Sen, Helen

Showing at: Batra, Fun Republic

Buddha Mar Gaya
Director: Rahul Rawail
Starring: Rakhi Sawant, Anupam Kher, Om Puri, Paresh Rawal

Packed with veteran comedians, the film promises to take you on a rip-roaring ride into a world littered with unending greed and corruption. Money corrupts and humongous amount of money corrupts humongously. That is the take off point. This one is touted as a black comedy about dead bodies, mucho mullah and funerals.

Laxmikant Kabadiya aka LK (Anupam Kher), is one of India’s richest industrialists, a self made man who’s risen from selling scrap to become a construction magnate. His conglomerate is on the verge of a 5000 crore IPO that should make them one of the largest companies in the country. LK’s family can’t stop salivating at the thought of all that money.

Unfortunately for all of them fate displays a wicked sense of humour. On the night before the IPO opens, LK dies. The family is distraught and horrified. Not because a loved one has died but because now no one will buy their shares. So, on the advice of their family guru - Vidyut Baba (Om Puri) — the family decides to hide the death of LK for a period of two days till the shares are all sold out.

Little do they realise the crazy series of events that will follow on account of this duplicity.

Showing at: Nirman, Fun Republic

— Dharam Pal

Teri goes the Sharon way

Desperate Housewives actor Teri Hatcher is set to follow the footsteps of Mary-Kate, Ashley Olsen and Sharon Stone as the new face of American fashion label Badgley Mischka. Hatcher has signed on to appear in the fall ad campaign of the fashion house, taking over from the Olsen twins who fronted the brand last season. The 42-year-old can be seen donning everything from swimwear and sportswear in the print campaign of the Badgley Mischka Couture collection. Hatcher earlier collaborated with Mark Badgley and James Mischka when the designers dressed her outfits for the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. The actress revealed that she was very excited about her new venture.

“Working with Mark and James has been wonderful .They empower women through amazing clothes. I like the idea of women finding great pieces of clothing and accessories to make themselves feel good,” she said. — ANI