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A nation that dances together,
stays together We, as a country, are in the midst of a dance revolution. Put on your dancing shoes & be part of it!
Real moves
YOU couldn’t have possibly missed on this, irrespective of whether you watch TV or not. The brigade of SMS dance stars. Be it chefs, sport coaches, failed actors, directors, models, anchors, TV actors — reality shows saw them dance. And lest you mistake it as a recent trend, let’s tell you that Indian telly’s first ever dance reality show Boogie Woogie is more than a decade old now. A combination of excessive energy, exceptional humour and excellent dancing, it is a platform for all — families, mummies, mothers-in-law or teachers. Imitations with little variations like Nach Baliye and Jhalak Dikhla Ja are relatively recent phenomena. Undoubtedly a lot of fun to watch, these shows could do better with less of controversies and gossips. But then, watching judges like Jeetendra infusing energy with his moves or Vaibhavi Merchant sharing stage with Madhuri, were moments we all enjoyed. We’re surely looking forward to their next season on telly. Imagine this
Another surprise (not a very good one though) is the dance drama that is now a part of telly soaps. Inspiration Bollywood item numbers, Ekta Kapoor’s soaps sees entire episodes dedicated to dance numbers by special guests, besides the cast breaking into a dandiya or a Bollywood number every now and then. Plus, we also saw Farah Khan’s search for a dancer pre-Om Shanti Om release. Wow, so that means that TV is not just about crying bahus or 24 hours news. (as they call it) Pados mein
Party-Sharty, Dance-Vance HOW can we not mention the culture of dance parties? Forget evening or night parties, afternoon dance parties are a rage all over, especially in the city. Weird themes, more weird dress code and all the more weird music, we just need a reason to break into a dance and party. Don’t we? Just step into any city disc on a weekend and get grooving. www.
Shaadi pe dhamaal WONDERING how come everybody on ladke waalo ka ladies sangeet is making the right moves? Buas with their Urmila-kind jhatkas, masis giving competition to Madhuri and dadaji upbeat on swinging to Ae Meri Zohar Zabi. Well, this is courtesy wedding choreographers, who are training each and every family member to perfection. Choose a theme, songs, spend huge bucks, practice for long hours, get customised outfits (if you please) and then take over the floor on the D-day. See, didn’t we say that the nation is actually dancing! So, what are you waiting, take your pick and hit the floor. purva@tribunemail.com
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Man of Quotes Journalist & author Harbans Singh Virdi
is back
with a new book
He is an intellectual among Sardars, and a Sardar among intellectuals — and if you think this is "quite a quote", pick up Harbans Singh Virdi’s latest book for more. That’s right! After scripting his own history by writing six books on myriad themes right from sports to battles, the author-cum-journalist has opened a new chapter in his life by penning down Quite a Quote. The book was unveiled at Chandigarh Press Club Thursday afternoon. It’s quite very different from the customary love and marriage quotes you hate to cull from the Internet. Ask Virdi, and he says: You even have quotes pulled out of speeches delivered by prominent leaders, experts and even professionals. The quotes so systematically arranged in the book not only reflect conventional wisdom at a particular period of time; but also reveal the modern, changing, face of society. In fact, the book gives you a better insight into the functioning of a human mind in particular, and the culture in general. Offering you a copy of the 150-page paperback published by Amritsar-based Bhai Jeewan Singh Chattar Singh, Virdi says: The book is a culmination of effort aimed at portraying every aspect of life. You will, in specific, like to attach importance to the chapter on Partition. Some of the quotes are so revealing that they leave you with a new insight into all that was behind the conversion of religious and cultural boundaries into political borders. Well, Virdi has dug out the quotes from "every available sources". Right from books and magazines to newspapers — nothing has escaped his ever probing and searching eye. Of course, the job on the newspaper desk has helped him to a great extent. "You just cannot sit in front of a computer and Google-search quotes for logging on to an endeavour like this," he asserts with a smile. "You actually have to search the recycle bin of your memory and newspaper archives to come up with a book like this. In other words, you need to indulge in continuous reading; and that’s exactly what my job permits me to do". Good, but what about the other books? "Well, being a sportsman at heart, my first book Sikh in Sports was published in 1982. It was followed by another sports book in 1992 Sikh Olympians and Internationals," he says. "Then stepping into an altogether new field I wrote Warrior-Diplomat: Jassa Singh Ramgarhia in 1997. It was followed by Battles on a Blue Steed in 1999. Then came my favourite book, Laugh a Little in 2001. It was next year followed by Sikh Sports Stars. And now, this." Even before you can ask him about his abilities to manage all this, he sums it all up with the famous quotation "I quote truth whenever I can." saurabh@tribunemail.com
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Actor Shital Maulik & Sandeep Anand come to town to promote their serial Sun Yaar Chill Maar They both cannot relate to the characters they are essaying in Sun Yaar Chill Maar, but that does not make acting any less exciting for Sandeep Anand and Shital Maulik. As Piddy, Sandeep portrays the role of this Toronto-born, Ropar-raised boy who wants to cut a rap album and win the Grammy and Shital Maulik is the stylish yet dumb Diya who aspires to be the Miss World. "I am just the opposite in real life. I am more of a mature, introvert kind and not much fussy about fashion," says Shital. But she has no problem playing Diya, "The moment I put on make-up and get into the costume, I become Diya." Ditto for Sandeep. "Ino match for Piddy, with his aggression and all, but that’s what makes playing this character all the more interesting." Passionate about theatre and trained in classical music, Sandeep came to Mumbai from his home state Madhya Pradesh to pursue his dream of becoming a cine actor. "I have done a couple of arty serials and films (Raghuvansh and Chota Sa Rishta), but this is my first break in the commercial genre," says Sandeep. Shital, too, has a similar background. A trained Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancer, she has many national-level performances in her kitty and has acted in a number of Marathi plays. "In fact, the role I played in Sab Gol Maal Hai was my first brush with comedy. It was difficult to begin with. Most of the times I would end up laughing myself silly while delivering those funny dialogues. But I learnt to control myself and here I am, playing this adorable dimwit who is all set to curb global warming and bring world peace as Miss World," says Shital. Already having worked in serials like Akkar Bakkar Bombay Bo and Sai Baba, Shital’s dream is to work with Shyam Bengal but "after working for 25 days in a month for UTV’s Bindass, it leaves me with very little time to explore more avenues," she adds. Well, Sandeep, too, is waiting for the right thing to happen. "I am waiting for a role that would give me an opportunity to explore all my creative talent." He has proved himself on stage back home, and it’s time to prove it to the nation. — P. R.
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Passion, fun & energy
It was not the element of fun but passion that drew Yogendra Bhangley towards the art of making animation figures. An electronics and telecommunications engineer, it was not easy for him to chase his dreams. One, India did not have any training institutes for the art and two, Yogendra didn’t have enough resources to join a course abroad. But then dreams never die, especially if fuelled by passion. So after a long stint in the world of advertising, Yogendra managed to go to Canada and joined a character animation programme from Vancouver Film School. Today, his 15 years long career graph boasts of numerous commercials like Colgate, Boost, Shark Tooth, Tide and Coke, short and feature films like Tales of Jack Frost (for BBC), Crying Girl, Odonoor, Roadside Romeo besides gaming cinematics of Neo Pets, Disney Princess, Lara Croft and Pimp, Soldier of Fortune to name a few. His mentor Kirit Khurana’s forthcoming project Toonpoor ka Super Hero is one such project, Yogendra is banking on. So what was it about animation that got him hooked? “The unlimited power one gets to exert while making an animation film. One feels like god because one can create characters and move them along a story line,” says Yogendra, who is in the city to conduct a series of workshops for students of Frameboxx, Chandigarh. Walt Disney has tied up with Yash Raj Films and B. R. Chopra is planning to start his own animation studio, animation artists couldn’t ask for a better time than this. “Right now the Indian animation scene is in infancy, but it is opening up — be it in the television world in form of ads and promos or on the Internet and soon we’ll be competing with the rest of the world,” he says. A piece of advice for budding animators — Let the West dwell on the world of fantasy, but for us it pays to stick to mythology because there are so many different figures to choose from. And experiments like Polar Express that had an animated version of Tom Hanks and Bewoulf with Angelina Jollie do not pay either. “People would rather see their favourite star on screen than their animated version. But Saundariya’s film on her father Rajnikant is a good idea because he is an aging superstar who has 63,000 fan clubs around the globe. In the animated version people will get to see what they would like to see —the younger Rajnikant,” he signs off. parbina@tribunemail.com
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Youth
speak DESPITE an increase in the job opportunities in various fields and lucrative pay packages in the private sector, the craze for civil services among the youth has not gone down. Every state government fills the posts of civil services of the state on the basis of annual competitive exams conducted by the State Public Service Commission. But, in Punjab no such competitive exam has been conducted since 1998 by the Punjab Public Service Commission. This has shattered the dreams of many who aspired to join civil services. Many kept waiting for the exam and have now crossed the requisite age to sit for them. A ray of hope was seen last year when Punjab government made a request to the UPSC to conduct an exam for the recruitment of Punjab state civil services. But, now this hope of the youth is also getting shattered as UPSC is reluctant to conduct the exam. The credibility of the State Public Service Commissions’ in almost all the states has gone down recently. Charges of unfair selection by means of corruption, nepotism and favoritism are levelled against them. The root cause of this being the state government’s role in packing of these commissions with inapt members, often for political reasons. There is an urgent need to evolve a national policy regarding the selection of members in the SPSC. For this, I suggest that the chairman and the members of the State Public Service Commissions should be selected by a committee headed by the Chief Justice of the High Court, two members from UPSC, chief minister of the state and the leader of opposition in the legislative assembly of the state. Also, the chairman of the SPSC should compulsorily be an outsider and not belong to that state. These reforms will certainly go a long way in appointing competent and impartial members in these commissions and in establishing the credibility of the SPSC like that of UPSC. Feel strongly about something? If you are under 25, this is the forum for you. Mail us your views in not more than 300 words along with a passport photograph at lifestyletribune@gmail.com
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Sidelanes When I came to Chandigarh in 1962, it was a one horse town dominated by Corbusier’s architecture, clerks, bureaucrats and the surrounding flora and fauna. Pigeons lived and bred in small pigeonhole windows and only small shops provided our daily needs. We skipped classes at the university and ate tikkis and chana bhaturas off rehris just outside the gate. I hear this area will soon be a Food Street. Our college mate, Danny, opened a restaurant and we jubilated as it spelt nightlife for us. But the place closed down and everyone predicted Chandigarh could never grow or sustain sophisticated eateries. Forty years later, the city has burgeoned and every inch has real estate value. Small, insignificant shopkeepers have become millionaires. Wonderful eateries offer delectable foods of every kind. That stodgy old "goormenty hotel," The Mountview, wears a dazzling tutu of flowers and dignified, discreet interiors. I have just to walk into an elitist store to buy red and white wines, sterile foreign meats and an assortment of cheeses. Of course, all this comes for a price. My children and grandchildren love the stores and their well laid out displays. The d`E9cor changes with every festival and free gifts can be had if the salesperson remembers to give them or I remember to demand them. The children and grand children of the storeowners have studied in the best institutions, speak impeccable English, drive the best cars and party late into the night. Some of them even sport gold earrings, heavy chains and many rings with stones to bring luck, a better temperament and an adequately lucred spouse. I see the beautiful people walk in, buy their stuff and pay without a backward glance. It would show pettiness and poverty to ask for change or even to check the bills. Unfortunately, forty years down the line, my habits have not changed and I am glad to report, nor have the shopkeepers’ ways. In one of the northern sectors, the second and third generation scions are clones of their ancestors. You can make out their parentage and relationships just by looking at their faces and "body cuts," as a very discerning tailor used to say. I still match the bill to the prices stuck onto the item bought. Often there are discrepancies. "Maybe just a mistake," I whisper to my indignant, retiree better half as impatient customers, lined up behind me, express their desire to skedaddle. When small change is not returned, I demand it, much to my son’s chagrin. My argument is that it can feed a beggar. The cashier’s unspoken logic is that if a customer can pay such heavy prices, she can forfeit small change. "It’s a trick!" fumes my husband, "They are a bunch of cheats."`A0 "It’s a tweak," I counter, trying to soothe his ruffled feathers. "He made a mistake. He did not mean to short change you." It has happened so often that I am starting to believe those who report the same mistake. Half a century later, I am happy to report that we are all sticking by our values and norms. Chandigarh still remains "normal."
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Expressions... This one exhibition is very close to the hearts of third year students of the Government College of Art. It does not just bring out their creativity, but also gives them an opportunity to re-live those fun-filled moments they had during their college trip to various states. The exhibition inaugurated on Thursday showcases works of 56 students—different versions of the same topics like scenes from the beaches of Goa, figures from Khajoraho temples, Charminar in different angles and scenes from Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. Though the medium of expression varies from illustration to drawing to photography to graphics to painting, pictures dominate the scene. “Life was so full of excitement then that we all wanted to go with the flow and capture those moments with our camera, rather than using paint and brush” says Mehak who has played with the principle of illusion of light to capture a few abstract scenes of the Film City and also the Charminar through a window. Rajeev Singh’s Golconda Fort in black and red stands out, so does Ritu Beri and Robin Singh’s Conte work, capturing the allure of a few Khajorao temples. The hand painted works in dark brown and black come with an antique touch. Unwilling to trade the beaten path, Shaina Nayyar decided to recreate the Raine falls and the grandeur of Khajoraho temple on a 3-D software. Others like Ranjit Singh, Anu Sharma and Little Bansal decided to stick to the beaches of Goa, as they perceived — Ranjit through illustrations and the other two through photographs. The works mounted in a simplistic manner in a single classroom, may not boast of aesthetic sense, but the nostalgia of these budding artists and their sense of achievement is quite touching and makes it a worth a visit. Concludes today |
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New releases Sunday
Starring: Ajay Devgan, Ayesha Takia, Arshad Warsi, Irrfan Khan A DEAD body found floating in a lake. Unexplained scratch marks on her neck. Supari killers out to kill her. A taxi driver who yells ‘bhoot, bhoot’ every time he sees her... Seher’s (Ayesha) world turns topsy-turvy when she gets a clue about the missing Sunday of her life, which points to a possible violent attack on her. At first she is amused, then mystified and then terrified when she realises she has a connection with all these totally unconnected incidents. But she cannot remember anything. Seher’s fiancé Rajvir Randhava (Ajay) is convinced that she is innocent and takes up the case to sort out the complicated and jumbled up threads of Seher’s life. But she cannot remember a goddamn thing. In the process of solving Seher’s case it comes to light that on Sunday, different people interacted with her and amongst them, one could be the accused. The lot included Ballu (Arshad), the taxi driver and his friend, Kumar (Irrfan), a struggling NSD actor, Ritu (Anjana Sukhani), Seher’s close friend, a scary and suspicious character who resides in Seher’s society, and the group whom she had come across while partying at the discotheque. Then another dead body is found. And the bracelet found near the dead body belongs to Seher. The evidence is mounting and all fingers point towards Seher. And still, she cannot remember a darn thing. Is Seher really as innocent as she claims to be? Is she a dubbing artiste by day and a serial killer by night? Is her bubbling charm but a mask that hides her darker and menacing self? As Seher desperately fights the fog that clouds her treacherous memory, ACP Rajvir has to fight the fact that the woman he wants to marry may well be a murderer and worse. What if one day went missing from your life.
— TNS Showing at: Nirman, KC (Pkl), Fun Republic
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Little Interview
What makes Sunday special? The title of the flick comes from the fact that it is based on a Sunday. It has shaped up just the way we wanted it to and everyone has put in his or her best into it. How was the experience on the sets? This is my third flick with Ajay Devgan and I enjoyed it. All of us — Ajay, Ayesha, Arshad and Irfaan became good friends on the sets and had a lot of fun. Everyday would end up with some funny incident. Do you think a comedy is a safe bet at the box-office? I don’t think so. Flicks like Hera Pheri, Phir Hera Pheri, Golmaal became big hits for they were good films. And, at the end of the day that is what counts. How has life changed after the success of Golmaal? Success can do two things to an individual. Make you egoistic or infuse you with more energy. In my case, the latter has happened. What are your future projects? Besides Golmaal Returns, I have two other projects, one with Shemaroo and other with Ramesh Sippy. — Dharam Pal |
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Hollywood star George Clooney has revealed that he draws inspiration from Geri Halliwell for his charity work. The Oscar winning star insists that he is motivated by the Spice Girl’s humanitarian efforts. “She was always my favourite Spice Girl, I loved her feisty approach and the fact she wasn’t afraid to have an opinion,” he says. “Her work with Unicef and (sexual health charity) Marie Stopes in the Third World was inspiring. “And her address at a UN Youth summit in 2000 was brave - it’s so easy to not get involved and she just gritted her teeth and went for it,” he added. Clooney has recently been named as the United Nations Messenger Of Peace on for his humanitarian work. — ANI
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Short people should not sit on a seat which is too high for the heels to reach the floor to avoid calf pain. A slanted foot stool, sandbag is ideal. — Dr Ravinder Chadha
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TAROT TALK ARIES: The Knight of Cups suggests you will be emotional in personal relationships and graceful on social occasions. You will reap benefits in stocks and shares on Tuesday. Your spouse pulls in a contrary direction affecting property interests. Overseas travel and fine arts augur well. Lucky Colour: Turquoise. TIP OF THE WEEK: Be honest to your desires. TAURUS: The Card The Devil reveals that you will be running late on everything this week. Domestic unrest can be avoided if you watch your steps. Some career choices have to be made before an important opportunity passes you by. Lucky Colour: Crimson. Tip: It is no longer necessary to take risks. GEMINI: The Nine of Wands reveals that you make progressive professional and personal commitment. A crisis concerning a friendship or your place in organisation could reach a crucial point. Health and finance need watching on Tuesday. Try to develop a new attitude of ease and inner peace. Lucky Colour: Red. Tip: Rather than worrying infuse your efforts into decisive action. CANCER: The queen of cups brings romance in relationships. It’s best to look at new directions. Redecorating home and office brings synergy and fresh ambiance. You make an impact and a big difference wherever you are. Lucky Colour: Burgundy. Tip: Don’t involve yourself in more than one activity at one time. LEO: You draw Six of Wands, which helps you in professional work. There will be joy all around. Be cautious of the unfamiliar. Many choices are spread out before you. Give a little now and you will get more back later. You will have a lazy morning and busy afternoon on Thursday. Lucky Colour: Pink. Tip: Avoid situations that may turn nasty. VIRGO: The Empress takes you towards the fast and protective lane. You are sensitive as you try to maintain inner and outer balance. You make adjustments in personal relationships, as they are a bit fragile in the moment. On Thursday, decisions are made, conflicts are diffused and balance is regained. Lucky Colour: Citric green. Tip: Be firm and don’t let anyone take advantage of you. LIBRA: Nine of cups interprets you will be full of energy and accomplish the impossible. Pets, children, home and garden will take much of your time on Wednesday. Learn a lesson from past mistakes. Lucky Colour: Pink. Tip: Don’t be enthusiastic in finalising a particular deal. SCORPIO: You draw The Chariot and will be dynamic and make new beginnings. Multifarious activities may lead to stress. You get in touch with family and friends whom you have been ignoring on Tuesday. Lucky Colour: Turquoise. Tip: Be positive and you can make things happen out of the most unlikely circumstances. SAGITTARIUS: The High Priestess reveals family pressure and responsibilities. You instill a personal style and vitality in whatever you do. Balance in relationships and professional activities to be maintained. Past investments could start showing results. Lucky Colour: Crimson. Tip: Take things one at a time. CAPRICORN: The Nine of Cups brings hopes and desires. A journey near the sea proves to be therapeutic. You need to view defeat from a higher perspective. Learn from past experience rather than repeating old patterns. Lucky Colour: Purple. Tip: Trust your heart and intuition. AQUARIUS: The Emperor gets in touch with your leadership qualities. Your mind will be alert and enable you to find immediate solutions to the problems. Though you are a calm person, you will accelerate and become more talkative and curious. Keep other people’s secret well guarded. Lucky Colour: Sea green. Tip: Set the unpleasant set of events into motion. PISCES: Five of Cups takes you through difficult speculative situations. Emotional relationships are temporary as you may come out of them. If you are fighting a legal battle, you win after a slight delay. An array of mixed feelings overwhelms you. An important project is likely to encounter hurdles. Lucky Colour: Yellow. Tip: Avoid being hurried or over anxious.
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SIX or sixty, this one is for
all. Set the volume of your music system slightly high. Put on your dance
shoes. And let your carefree attitude and dancing skills take over. Come on!
You can’t be surprised at this suggestion, for, this is what the entire
country is doing. Some have enrolled in classes in the neighbourhood, some are
dancing on TV and taking home loads of money, some are swinging in the virtual
world and some are rehearsing hard to perform on their D-Day. Don’t believe
us? Look around in your neighbourhood, switch on the telly, log on the
Internet or simpler, run through this quick check on the dance mania that has
engulfed our country.
It’s a great way to build confidence and increase self-esteem.
OKIE, now how about this —
imagine one of the country’s best choreographer giving you private dance
lessons right in the comfort of your home. Well, almost. For, all you have to
do is watch Nachle Ve with Saroj Khan. Yup, you heard it right, this
fresh show will see Khan teaching you the right angle bend for an Ek Do
Teen twist or a Mera Piya Ghar Aya. She’ll teach, correct, scold
and if you are lucky, might blow her trademark sitti (whistle) for you
too.
NOW who else is dancing?
Hmm... Mrs Singh on the first floor, your classmate’s mummyji and papaji,
the globetrotter CEO about whom you read in the papers, your seven-year-old
little cousin, the list is long and interesting. From Salsa to Cha Cha Cha to
Waltz to Tap, there are fancy dance classes for all, right in the
neighbourhood. Individual or group, at home or institutes, you can take your
pick. Teachers, students, MNC employees, couples, doctors... they are all
shaking a leg. So with these international styles getting popular in the
country and the city, does that mean Bhangra and Gidda are passé? Nope, not
really, for Punjabis are aptly mixing a Bhangra jump with a Salsa move!
SHY or time constrained? Log
on to the Internet and find yourself an online dance tutor. Be it Ballet,
Ballroom, Freestyle, Hip Hop, Latin or any other dance form, you can learn it
all online. Free online lessons to DVD packs, log on to sites like
www.learntodance.com, www.dancetutor.com and www.learning2 dance.com and
discover how easy it can be to dance. These classes come with text lessons,
video clips and even floor maps to check on the movement of your feet. Like
swinging to apna Bollywood numbers? Then log on to www.dance mela.com
and hit the dance floor. Create your virtual avatar and participate in
online contests. And, who knows you might just get hooked on and take some
real dancing lessons soon.
Son of action man Shetty, Rohit Shetty, is back to tickle your funny bone with a comedy thriller Sunday. After Golmaal, he is now busy shooting for the flick’s sequel Golmaal Returns. We chat up the director Shetty.