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Paint the town RED! NOW, don’t we all know that ‘birds of a feather flock together?’ So friends, it comes as a natural corollary then, that lil’ birdies on the fashion circuit flock, oops… flaunt together. Of course, fashion’s all about being different, blah blah… But then, there’s something called the ‘fashion idiom.’ And when fashionholics end up following it too fanatically, what we land up with is the Oscars. Yup, the internationally acclaimed event seemed like an ode to red! Right from Katherine Heigl, Helen Mirren, Miley Cyrus, and Julie Christie to Ruby Dee, Anne Hathaway and Heidi Klum, all walked the red carpet in full-volume red gowns. Well, if you’re wondering how’s this ‘gimme-red’ passion related to the city, let’s tell you that youngsters here too have a special fondness for the colour. We check out the local designer hubs brimming with the colour and wonder what’s behind this local addiction to the carnally vibrant colour. Says designer Mini Singh, presently doing tunics, dresses and anarkalis for Meena Bazaar and Kapsons-17, “I followed the Oscars this time and Heidi Klum looked her beautiful best. Incidentally, Klum’s full-volume gown by John Galliano, is being auctioned as part of The Heart Truth campaign to raise awareness about heart disease. I simply loved it and am planning to rustle up something simpler.” In the same colour? “Of course yes, I’m already doing a lot of anarkalis and one-piece dresses in reds and wines.” And we agree. For, aren’t brands like Madame, Wills, Pepe and Tommy Hilfiger too churning out reds like never before? Agrees Benetton creative head Akhil Duggar, “Though we have experimented with a zany burst of colours this season, there are very interesting wine reds and rose-pink reds too.” Avers local designer Nidhi Bajaj Sangha, “Red definitely is a very strong, passionate colour, which evokes emotions of love and bonding. In fact, my designer label is called Blush and even its logo is a red rose! From the client’s perspective, I believe that red is an eye-catching, aggressive and bold colour.” Laughs Panchkula engineering student Smriti Dewan, “ Red’s always stood for fire and danger. Both crimson and red exuberate the timeless lure of fire. I believe it’s the hot fave for dates!” Adds city-based designer Babi Grewal, “Red has always been the best bet for weddings and pujas. Especially now, when it’s being combined with leafy greens and plump purples, its appeal has sky-rocketed.” However, cautions Duggar, “Avoid red at business meets, especially situations that involve confrontation, negotiations or peace-making but the colour is ideal for parties.” But isn’t black supposed to be the best bet for formal dos? Reasons fashion stylist Varsha Khanna, “ Red no doubt is a very bright and happy hue, that adds a lot of charm to ones personality. It has an edge over black, for unlike black, with red, we don’t need too many accessories. But if you happen to love jewellery, then the colour looks classy with gold, diamonds and silver.” No wonder, the lady’s soon launching her label, wherein she’ll be playing with chunky red roses and sharp cuts. Well, isn’t it all music to the ears for die-hard red fanatics? What’s more, even if you’ve grown up flaunting dresses in untamed reds, now you can build a sensuous drama with the hue by wearing it unconventionally. Use the colour as your eye shadow, with a generous coat of black mascara, fill your lips with a red lip-gloss or even wear a red lipstick. It won’t appear overdone if blended with a minimal eye-make-up and a translucent lip-gloss. Accessories in the colour also look striking. And well, if that’s not fiery enough, get your hair set into soft curls and insert a red feather as a finishing touch. By the way, did we tell you that feathers were the other hot-faves at Oscars this time?
anandita@tribunemail.com |
Riding the Radio Wave Gooood Morniing Mumbai is how Vidya Balan welcomed the listeners on her show in Munnabhai MBBS. Salaam Namaste’s Amber aka Preity Zinta fell in love on air. And here, on our city radio waves, khichidi is cooked, love settings worked upon, geri routed captured, tension meter reduced and much more happens. Does that leave you wishing for a chance to be on the other side of the mike? Well, stop wishing and get working. For, your dream of being an RJ is just a click away. Now, all you need to be a star on the radio is a computer and an internet connection, for the World Wide Web is full of many free options that let you host your very own internet show. Log on to sites like BlogTalkRadio, talk show and skypeacasts and become a radio jockey. It’s simple. Decide on the content of the show. Download the right software. Record and upload. And get popular. Blog TalkRadio interestingly was born out of its CEO’s need to create a broadcast for bloggers. Around 350 shows are on air each day on this site, with the play list displaying the current show on air. The duration for most of these shows varies from five to 15 minutes. The shows’ posts on-air are available as archives. On Talkshoe, another such site, you also have an option to make real bucks as you grab the mike. Well, now hosting a show is not that easy as it looks. Ask Arsh, RJ-92.7 Big FM who hosts Aap ki khatir and Yeh hui na Baat. “Dominating voice, spontaneity and an excellent sense of humour are most important,” he says. “It’s a live medium, so you have to update yourself from time to time.” And who all listen to you when you’re online? Friends, family or any Internet surfer. Talk of your passion for superbikes, share a yummy recipe, chat with online callers or do anything that pleases you and your audience,” chips in RJ-Big FM Pankaj, who hosts Big Geri. “Try connecting to the audience, feel their pulse. For in case of Internet, your listener can be from any part of the world.” Agrees RJ-94.3 My FM Khushi, the host of Salaam Chandigarh and Dil Se,” A show on the Internet will leave you with various things to talk about and of course, a greater access.” So, with no defined target audience, how does one shape the show? Says Big FM’s 9-baje ki setting lady Meenakshi, “Just be yourself and keep the content simple and interesting. Nobody likes to listen to hi-fi stuff.” She adds, “For any show, specifically an internet radio show, the character of the show is important.” Another such site helping you to connect to the world is Skypecast. Here, you can promote your show online through blogs or send the link to your friends. Plus, just like your traditional radio, there are announcements made of the new shows. Also, these sites come with options of blocking or ejecting listeners you don’t like. And to increase your interaction with the listener, you can simultaneously chat up with them or mute the microphone and listen to their requests or suggestions. Now the last word from our RJs. Says Pankaj, “Remember entertainment and information are both available for as less as a DVD for Rs 25. There has to be fire in you to draw the listener.” Chips is Khushi, “Being an RJ is not just blabbing. You need to be aware about everything, right from the comic strips to the headlines.” Well, if you’ve found your USP, then go ahead, for not just the city, but the world can be your listener.
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Unlike her Hollywood contemporaries, it’s not excess partying or shopping that gives Reese Witherspoon a rush — it’s garbage. The Oscar-winner admitted her dirty little secret to US TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, insisting that she makes sure her garbage is never overflowing or out of control. The obsession with garbage has even got her a nickname ‘The Mommy Trash Compactor’ by her son. “I like to throw a lot of things away, particularly at Christmas. It makes me a little crazy when the trash is overflowing.I put on rubber boots and I literally get into the trash can and I stomp on the trash. “Sometimes I’ll sneak and look at the neighbour’s garbage cans and see if it’s kind of empty. I’ll wait, literally until the middle of the night when the children are asleep, and I’ll take my extra garbage and I’ll put it in the can,” she said. |
Little Interview Rubina Khan, the gorgeous young actor, wears many hats. Besides being a model, she is a national-level swimmer. She has made her debut in Sahara One’s new supernatural serial Neeli Ankhen produced by Ramsay productions. She talks to Life Style about her role in the show. n
Tell us about the serial? It is about an ichhadhari nagin who comes to earth and faces negative forces. n
n I play Vaishali, a woman who can turn into a snake at her will. n
How was the experience? The production team of Ramsay banner is good. So are my co-stars — Sonia Kapoor, Faraaz Khan, Surendra Pal and Shahbaz Khan. We all have a good time on the sets. n
You were last seen on Telugu film Joruga Hosharuga. What’s next? Nothing at this moment. I am just concentrating on Neeli Ankhen. n
What are your hobbies and passions? I am generally passionate about life! I love acting and I consider myself lucky that acting is my profession now. n
Do you see television as your future? Yes. It is highly competitive field, but offers lots of opportunities.
— Dharam Pal |
ETHNIC motifs, intricate weaves, and vibrant colours. Want the best from the South? Head to Aroma-22 and take your pick from the wide range of designs and weaves from Andhra and Orissa. Utsav has once again brought with it the best in south cotton and tussar silk. In addition to the woven fabrics from the South, there are block prints from Rajasthan too. Dress material in cotton, maheshwari and chanderi ranges between Rs 1,200 and Rs 2,500. Woven and printed dupattas in vibrant colours and varied patterns including floral, traditional or striped designs are the main attraction here. These are priced between Rs 300 and Rs 1,300. Another variety in dupattas called Madhubani comes from Bihar. These pieces are hand painted and adorned with traditional motifs from Bihar, primarily the fish motifs. A display of differences in design is the tussar dupattas with kantha work. The huge range of saris in similar patterns and weaves is priced between Rs 650 and Rs 4,000. A new addition in the fabric is Malmal fabric, also known as 80-count fabric. Concludes today
— Neha Jindal |
Leaps & bounds
FEMMES always have the last word in an argument. Whatever you say after that leads to another argument. And, if that’s the only reason why you have been staying away from the “unfairness of the fair sex”, here’s another motive for you to act like a man and keep off: If the gal you hate to adore in your friendly neighbourhood catches hold of you on Leap Day (read February 29) and makes you go down on your knees in protest as she proposes, you are in trouble. Real big trouble! In fact, the happiness of your singular existence, growing by leaps and bounds, can be in jeopardy. Now fellows, put your hand on your heart and read on, if you already do not know the reason. Oh yes, your heart! For, it may not remain yours after the Leap Day. Any guesses? Well, legend makes it mandatory for a guy to bow (more than just his head), if a gal proposes to him on Leap Day. Get this, men… you just cannot refuse to the designs of a woman enwrapped in the form of a proposal, if she makes up her mind to get you. Tch, tch… all these years you have been undermining the powers of the weak sex to turn your world around. Poor you! Okay, the young adventurers among you are already rubbing their eager hands with excitement at the prospect of trying their luck at the little game of chance called love. What… they are already out finding a date for themselves? Cool, any takers? Chalo, let’s not talk about them! They know how to get in and out of trouble. But, what about you? Had you been willing and the lass good looking, you would not have waited for the opportunity to knock at your life’s door. You would have been standing with the doors and your arms open. In other words, you would have dropped hints, may be even handkerchiefs. And, by now you would have established a rapport, and even a working relationship, with her. But, if the situation exposes you to the perils of being proposed by an-out-to-hunt femme fatal, it only means you are either unwilling, or the gal is out of your dreams. Hazardous in both cases! And, think what will happen if you are to refuse to her move. Of course, she is going to take it as an offence and attack you for ill-manners. You see, by not proposing to her, despite access and opportunity, you imply no less. But, if you are to tell her bluntly that her proposal is being turned down simply because she is not beautiful or rich enough, you are creating the perfect grounds for a quarrel. Now, the way out! Well, the answer is in finding no answer at all. It’s everyone’s extra day. So, take a leap into your room (office or home) and just stay away from trouble, lest the extra becomes integral. All the best,
guys!
saurabh@tribunemail.com |
A glassy affair It’s all a hot, shapeless mass to begin with. Within hours, it turns into a fascinating range of tastefully crafted glass installations — wonderful wine glasses, eclectic vases and curios, 30-feet chandeliers and spectacular sculptures. The medium here is molten glass and it takes on scintillating shapes in Gautam Seth’s dexterous hands.
One of the few art glass blowers of India, this 28-year-old accessory designer is presently retailing through Episode-9 and is soon setting up his studio in the city. Having done his engineering from Panjab University, Seth moved on to experiment with design and has recently grabbed ‘The Young Talent’ and the ‘Best Lighting Design’ award at the Elle Décor International Design Awards. In town and all set to include city’s décor lovers in his premier league of clients (read Malini Ramini, Manish Arora, Tarun Tahiliani, Park Hotels and Jindal house!), the young designer looked very much in love with glass. We chatted him up about his compulsive fixation for glass and more… Gautam Seth doesn’t believe in conforming to the established norms of art, nor has he ever had any formal art college training. But the man refuses to give up his passion for blowglass art, “It all started when, while pursuing my chemical engineering from PU, my childhood friend Prateek Jain and I observed some artisans working with glass. My friend’s dad, who was already into construction business, had been talking to us about the lack of straight-line glass accessories in India. So we jumped into blowglass art head on and are thoroughly enjoying it. We’ve recently a 30-feet chandelier with suspended 100 crystal icicle droplets, a huge peacock chandelier and bougainvillea steel creeper with 500 glass flowers!” And why shouldn’t they, for on their repertoire are glass installations for some prestigious clients, including many famous designers, accessory hubs in Tokyo, London and Germany and of course, a couple of Elle design awards. “Glass remains our favourite medium, since it takes on to light and form beautifully,” chirps Seth, presently retailing from his ‘Klove Studio’ in Delhi and select stores in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chandigarh and Kolkata. “Our product design’s picked up in a big way (starting from Rs 3,000 to a couple of lakhs) and a lot of Chandigarh people are our clients. That’s why we’re foraying here, and not just with glass but lighting solutions, metal accessories and furniture too,” he chirps. Well, let’s all décor divas raise a toast to that! |
Golden tactic IF you have been saying bottoms up to the golden elixir swirling in sparkling cut-glass without really letting it raise your spirits, it’s time for you to say cheers to a whole new fashion of drinking. Alright, it may hit you like a strong drink that explodes in your head when gulped down hurriedly, but you should really nose around before experiencing gentle fireworks in your mouth. And just in case you do not know how to go about it, ask Gerry Tosh. The “expert on whisky appreciation” knows all about it. After all, Tosh is “head of brand education” with The Edrington Group, West Kinfauns, Perth. In Taj, Chandigarh, for “nosing and tasting” of single malt scotch whisky Highland Park, Tosh simply says: “We allow anywhere between 12 and 25 years for the whisky to mature before offering it to you. Please don’t demolish it by gulping the stuff in one second.” All decked up for the occasion in a traditional black kilt, Tosh flashes a broad smile before asserting: “It’s special. Make it last. That’s, perhaps, the reason why we insist: savour your drink with complete responsibility.” Well guys, jokes apart, Tosh can really tell you how to assess whisky’s “colour, body and flavour”. Oh yes, you just have to look at its tint; smell the aroma rising out of it; and actually live through the experience of tasting it. Raising a toast to the “right style”, Tosh says: To begin with just tilt the glass a little against light and you can really tell from the colour whether caramel has been added to it. Otherwise if the whisky is dark, it’s usually fruity. Pale whisky usually has a hint of citrus in it. Now, Tosh says, remember to lean the glass at a delicate angel of 45 degrees before rotating it. The fine line left by the spin on the glass’ surface truly tells you about the whisky’s viscosity. “If the tears rolling down the fine line are small, the alcohol content is more,” he avows. Another thing, fellows! Never swirl your whisky like you whirl your wine. Unless it’s very good, it shuts your nose. “Leave it flat and allow the flavour to carry itself up the glass,” he recommends. “And then sniff it thrice”. Thrice, but why? “Well, the first time your nose tingles. The second time your nose begins to detect the flavour. It’s the third sniff that really helps you judge the fruity sort of flavour,” he insists. “After spending time on it, take a sip. Bite it for a good four to five seconds and enjoy the flavour. Figure out where in the mouth you feel the sensation.” And now the “golden” question: What’s the right size of a peg and how much should you be really drinking? “It really depends on which part of the country you are in. In England, 25 ml is good enough. Both in Scotland and States, its 50 ml.” he says. “Personally, 30 ml is okay with me, if I am giving drinks in a bar. At home, I even go for a 60 ml shot so that I do not have to get up again for a refill. As for the quantity, never drink to the extent of blurring your senses”. That’s it folks. Happy and safe drinking! |
Sidelanes I
WORE the thin-soled, cheap red boots that were used for tennis at Bangalore till a fall over tangled laces led to a mess of fractures, coagulated blood and odema. So another red pair with stiff sidewalls was bought. Very expensive this time over, but the four-year ache diminished. I chose the old faithfuls for the trip into Janata Colony, just behind PGI. The paths were narrow, not more than four-inch wide, divided by a shallow drain. One-room tenements lined either side. The bricks on the path had been lovingly laid by men and women with dreams in their eyes and hope in their hearts. Over many monsoons, the mud washed away and the bricks formed uneven, ankle twisting undulations. I cursed my stupidity for choosing cheap boots over expensive ones. Then I noticed the four-year-old who followed us, enjoying the tamasha. I stepped over a plastic blocked drain, missed and landed in the grey sludge that made slow progress and stank of faeces and household detritus. The infant walked through it, still smiling, enjoying the squelch of plastic, amused at the woman who tried to skirt a delectable, fun-creating goo. Instead of alta that colours a bride’s feet, he had a ring of grey teeming with god-knows-what bacteria. If this child survives beyond 10, he will be one of the tough ones amongst India’s poor. We passed a man, old, grey-haired and lying in a doorway. He folded his hands and smiled. I greeted him, hoping he would invite me into his low-roofed, one brick walled room, for a cup of salted tea. (Very few can budget in milk and sugar into their daily lives.) He kept smiling but said nothing. Then I realised there were no legs beyond his torso. His smile had the gleam of paradise but his body allowed nothing — no movement, no usage. He just waited for the kindness of those surrounding and feeding him. When his family returned from chores, they would lift him like a rag doll and administer to his needs. I, god-like in my comfortable, three-mealed world, had patronisingly made up my mind to be a guest at his home. How ashamed I was of my attitude! A man sat on a low manji, chopping onions probably for his pakoda-chai shop. He called us in for a cuppa. It was getting dark so we promised to come another day. We city slickers are afraid of chain and bag snatchers. We should be. We have so much and they so little. We flaunt our rings (cures for various undesirable aches and moods!), necklaces, chains, bangles and ear chandeliers. As we got into the car, I ruffled the smiling four-year- old’s hair. I went home, washed my shoes before entering in and felt guilty. I know Chandigarh has a conscience, tucked away somewhere in big homes, bigger cars, flowers, rustling silks and suits. How can we tolerate such dehumanising conditions at our doorstep? Politicians will come and go. Can Chandigarhians not make a difference to the lives just a few miles away from our comfort zones? |
Art from the neighbourhood THE recent exhibition at the Panjab University Fine Art Gallery gave us an opportunity to see Chinese art in the form of creative photography. Organised by the Indo-China Friendship Association it saw many known and unknown artistes from different provinces capture the art scene of China. And it was this that made us, onlookers, curious to learn more about Chinese traditional art. For, when it comes to Chinese art, our imagination stretches only to the ferocious-looking dragons painted on the walls of Chinese eateries in the city. And considering that we have amidst us an artist who went to China on a two-year scholarship to learn their wood-cut print making technique, and so far the only one to do so in this part of the nation, it is sad that none of us, neither art lovers, nor students have benefitted from his experience. So, we make Mahesh Prajapati — who went to Beijing on a Chinese Government fellowship to study the technique at Academy of Fine Art — dig out all his works from his locker to give us an insight into the traditional Chinese paintings and prints. And one look at the fine prints he had made during his stay there, we realise that we are missing out a lot by not knowing the rich heritage of our neighbouring country. “Traditional art in China is done on rice paper (Xuanzhi) and ink and colour is made out of natural elements like pigments from flower petals and leaves. For printmaking, they use watercolours, not oil colour like us. And, technically in wood cut, while we cut the fine lines, they cut away the area,” says Prajapati. Among Prajapati’s collection features paintings of a fish with lotus blooms and a Chinese deity, which are usually found on the entrance of houses. Though Prajapati could not go back to Beijing after 1999, he is in touch with his teachers Chang Pai Ye and Chang Qui Lin, both renowned names in traditional art, and learns from them the happenings in the art scene there. “Unlike us, who encourage our students to come out with original works, students there are encouraged to copy their teacher’s works till he/ she is on a firm footing,” says Prajapati. “In fact, in China, making prints of legendary artists through wood cut prints is a cottage industry,” he says. As he shows us the prints he had made there, the question that comes to one’s mind is why he has never tried to showcase either his works nor taught his students at the Government College of Art about this technique? And the answer is simple. Not only are the tools very different but also the weather here is not conducive to work on rice paper. And lackof encouragement from the authority. But then, that’s another story. Not that our artists have not tried to incorporate Chinese traits in their works. Former principal of the Art College Prem Singh had executed a series on rice paper. “It’s not easy to get original Chinese rice paper. In fact, once I had asked the Chinese Ambassador who visited Chandigarh a few years back to get some for me and that is how I managed to get a feel of the medium.” And to believe Singh, working on rice paper is not just extremely difficult but also extremely satisfying. “When I was working on rice paper with Chinese brushes, I realised that brushes are not just a tool but a medium through which one can infuse life into a painting. Painting on it was like a dream,” says Singh. City-based artist Viren Tanwar too has tried out this medium and was amazed at the turnout of the colour on the highly absorbent paper. “It’s difficult to get original Chinese rice paper but similar paper from Nepal is readily available.” Prajapati too is working on a new series to hold his
solo exhibition. After doing pure traditional Chinese prints, now he wants to evolve a style that will be Indian in origin and Chinese in technique. Well, with Prajapati thinking along these lines and the Indo-China Friendship Association encouraging cultural exchange, maybe it’s Chinese art that one is to look out for.
parbina@tribunemail.com |
Rising Star AT the time when youngsters of his age were living life without a definite direction, Aditya Sharma was busy carving a niche for himself in the realm of music. “Recognition at the tender age encouraged me to achieve more and also kept me rejuvenated. But even at 21, I feel like a beginner and feel I still have miles to go.” This comes from someone who won the prestigious Hariballabh Sangeet Prityogita way back in 1999, when he was barely 14. From there he went on to become a finalist of All-India Inter University Classical Vocal Contest-2005, besides topping the most coveted All-India Radio competition-2005. No small achievement considering that such fame come only after years of strenuous riyaz. With a dossier of solo performances at all major sangeet sammelans and the graded artiste of All-India Radio, Aditya has all the traits of a ‘legend in the making’. Born and raised amidst serene drones of tanpura and soulful strains of instrumental music, this Panchkula-based vocal artiste took to singing even before he learnt to speak. He was initiated into music by his grandfather Pandit R. C. Dutt, founder of Gandharva Maha Vidyalaya, and musicologist mother Anita Sharma. “It was, however, my father Arvind Sharma who polished my talent.” Young Aditya is now learning under Pandit Ulhas Kashalkarji at ITC Sangeet Research Academy after winning a scholarship to the academy. Traditional though he is, Aditya is not averse to experiment with fusion music. “Blending classical music with modern elements means comparative evaluation of our rich musical and cultural heritage, feels Aditya. But music is not all that he does. This commerce graduate has won many laurels for his DAV College in other fields as well. He stood first in his matriculation in the state and played as a captain for St. John High School football team. He also was the best athlete for two consecutive years. He represented city in Under-19 football at National Games in
2002.
lifestyletribune@gmail.com |
Soaring High AS a woman she finds solace in nature and as an artist she likes to freeze it on the canvas. Sadhna Sangar is known for her watercolour and ink drawings on nature, where colours dominate over forms that speak of the spontaneity in her brush strokes. With her latest series, which she is taking to Delhi for an exhibition, one gets to see fresh additions — birds and fishes, metaphors for her own yearning to soar high against all odds. The medium too is new, acrylic on canvas. And though she has turned to acrylic, she has not freed herself totally from the watercolour syndrome. By using acrylic in diluted form, she has managed to retain the freshness of watercolour. The colours as usual are vibrant, the brightest shades of blues and greens interspersed with reds and oranges, setting the mood of celebrations. Can we call it Sadhna style? “My fingers instinctively run to bright colours. When I paint I don’t think or plan, instead I just try to capture the happiness that nature provides us,” says Sadhna. The exhibition, which will be inaugurated on March 3 at Shanta Art Gallery, becomes a landmark for We. Sadhna’s brainchild We, was created to provide a platform to women artists of the city. “This show is not just about exhibiting my works. This is an opportunity to promote the members’ work as well,” says Sadhna, who is the president of We. In fact, Sadhna, during her trips to the Capital, has done the networking with other libraries as well. Sadhna is a proud woman today, for We is now going places. “Just wait for our annual exhibition and you will find tremendous confidence in the works of the artists,” she informs. After years of nurturing to survive as a group, it’s indeed time for celebration. And with Sadhna’s latest works already setting the mood, it is easy for us, art lovers, to join in the celebrations. — Parbina Rashid |
TAROT TALK
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