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Ravishing Raveena’s on a roll SHE came, she took charge and she made the interactive session at Taj–17 a smooth sail. After all, she is Raveena Tandon, mast mast girl turned super mom turned jury member for 9X’s talent hunt show Chak De Bachche. And, she is taking both her present roles a tad too seriously. One, she is refraining herself from getting into a full-time career because her young one is only eight months old and second, she is game only for a children-oriented shows like Chak De… The pretty lady in a white anarkali suit and brown dupatta hovered around her kids from the show, Hargun and Vaibhav, praising them before the media, giving them a mock scolding when they used the platform to seek votes from the Press and giving up centerstage so that they could showcase their talent. “I am partial towards children. With my son being only eight months old and my daughter two-and-a-half, I cannot think of a full time career right now. So when I was offered to judge the show, I grabbed the oppurtunity. It’s amazing to see so much talent coming out of big cities and small towns. The show is giving these children a life-time opportunity to face the camera and make a mark in the fields of singing and dancing,” she explains. From the conversation we come to know that films are out for a while though she is going through a few scripts for future reference. But what about reality shows that involve grown-ups? “No, It’s easier to work with children because they are honest, willing to work hard and less complicated,” and she gets all emotional as she shares how she cries with them on the sets when someone gets eliminated or jumps with them in joy. Considering that she spends a lot of time in orphanages (she visited the Missionary of Charity here, too), how does she feel about arc lights robbing kids of their childhood? She justifies, “It’s a show with a heart. It’s being shot only once a week, which lets the children be for the rest of the week. But then, competitiveness is there everywhere on screen and offscreen, even in school.” She spices it up with an anecdote about how her daughter refused to run after getting into the field in a school race. “I saw parents cheering for their child, goading them towards the win. So are we not imbibing competitiveness even among children as young as three? So if things are done without exploitation, without the cultural parameters, it is justified,” comes her argument. Well, competitiveness is okay as long as it is healthy. But the competition to get into size zero? “A complete no-no. I recently saw an 11-year-old greeting her friend with a ‘Wow, you have lost weight’. It’s terrible. I have always been a size 10 and this size 0 business scares me.” Does the younger, size 0 lot give her a complex? “They definitely come groomed these days unlike us who got into films with funny perms and unplucked eyebrows. You have to see my earlier films to believe me. We evolved, but today’s heroines have their fundas straight right from the word go.” Right now, she looks absolutely radiant and perfect, though a little over her normal size 10 as she asks us for a little more time to get back to that mast girl shape, “After all, my son is just eight months old,” she pouts. And who can refuse a mother, a pretty one at
that! parbina@tribunemail.com |
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New releases
Starring: Emraan Hashmi, Sonal Chauhan Director: Kunal Deshmukh Stuck in a triangle of sorts between the woman he loves and his addiction to make a quick buck, Arjun moves on from being a bookie to a runner for the mafia. He steps into the world of match fixing. Arjun switches on the limelight to something bigger, better, and faster, until his dizzying rise attracts the attention of the police. Arjun has to now choose between the love of his life, Zoya, and this newfound success and power. As Arjun struggles to choose between the two, the don offers the forbidden fruit of limitless wealth in exchange of his soul and draws him into his core entourage of money-spinners. How far will the horizon of reality stretch as Arjun and Zoya tread a fine, fast-blurring line between right and wrong to find the heaven they have been looking for? Showing at: Fun Republic, Suraj, Piccadilly |
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Siblings to fight
the king again Starring:
Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Sergio Castellittos Director: Andrew Adamson The four Pevensie siblings discover that a thousand years have passed since they ruled there. Narnia is now ruled by the bloodthirsty and evil General Miraz, uncle to the true heir, Prince Caspian, now in exile. Now, the children must find Caspian and help him depose Miraz... but how will they get home after it’s done? With the help of a heroic mouse called Reepicheep and Prince Caspian, they set out to overthrow the king, once again with Aslan’s help. The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian was the second book published of the seven books in the series. It takes place about 1,300 years after the events of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, which was the first published book. Showing at: Fun Republic, DT Cinemas
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Soul Focus AN unhappy childhood, a troubled adulthood and a royal betrayal, but there is still light at the end of the tunnel. And when Shalini and Vinay Mehta experienced it, their first reaction was to share the joy with the rest of the world. And together the husband-wife duo formed God’s Child Foundation to help people ‘experience god in daily life’. And what we get out of this endeavour is a magazine called Nupur, published by the foundation twice a year. Written in both English and Hindi, the articles are inspired from the couple’s personal experiences. “Nupur is words of god. We try to explain it through scriptures liker Bible, Gita and others. People feel the wisdom of scriptures is irrelevant in practical life. We by means of giving our own examples tell them what is written in the holy books is a reflection of our lives,” explains Shalini. Shalini is indeed a living example of a non-believer turning into a believer. “To start with I did not know who god was. It was Vinay who gave me the courage and conviction to seek him. And when I did, I saw the all the miseries and anguish that I carried within myself because of an unhappy childhood and a failed marriage melt away. And the best thing is that I learnt how to forgive,” says Shalini, who is an MBA and runs a software company along with her husband. In addition to bringing out the six-monthly editions, the foundation is also helping underprivileged children, besides giving personal counselling. So what does the future plan include? “We are just going with the flow and allowing life to take its natural progression,” says Vinay. But in the meantime they would be zealously attending to their true call, helping people to build a relationship with god on a day-to-day life.
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youth speak TWO lovers in Karnal had to pay for their rosy dreams, their love and happiness with their lives. Their dreams and hopes were shattered under the feet of a cruel, merciless society for whom man-made barriers of caste, class and religion were greater than love, the greatest manifestation of the Almighty. But the most horrendous aspect of the killings was that it was their own kith and kin, who committed the act. What is it makes men to lose all kindness, gentleness and humanity and turn them into bloodthirsty, relentless killers? This incident is not a stray one. In other feudal societies of the world there are hundreds of young boys and girls who have been paying the price for love. This age-old mentality reflects the fractured psyche of a society which is still entrapped in the cage of narrow mindedness, conservatism and dogmatism, a society in which a woman is a mere chattel who has no entity of her own. Her desires and feelings have no meaning in the male- dominated society. Our women have reinforced their individuality and identity by coming out as winners in every arena. On the fields sown with the blood of millions of brave women all over the world, we have reaped a golden harvest but we need all-round reform to put an end to the customs which breed intolerance and violence, that cause a man to become a beast, a father to become a killer. But we need to keep faith! 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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Leading the way?
CHEERLEADERS may have constricted the smiles of so many onlookers by fasting up slacks under their skirts with "troubled protestors" hitting below the belt in Maharashtra and other places, but there's no stopping cheerful gals in the city from uncovering liveliness with their sets of glam outfits. Cheery printed or pastel coloured interiors popping out of the low-rise skinny jeans; short string tops revealing more than wee bit of their flat tummies; pointed boots that attain new heights of fashion, but fail to rise up to the micro-minis — everything you thought cheerleaders once wore is still on display in the street vogue shows. Guys, sashaying up the ramps of popularity are none other than students and young professionals, largely putting up in paying guest accommodations after finding their way to style from the interiors of Punjab and other places. More than a few picked up the stuff from their guys' money much before the cheerleaders swayed their way to popularity on the tunes of Gilchrist's sixes. And, all these days you have been blaming like nothing the Indian Premier League for facilitating intrusion of the American influence through the garment of the oh-so-hot dance gals. So fellows, if you have an eye for detail, and wish to see that smile broaden from ear to ear, forget all about the PCA; zoom down to the college campuses across the city; and find femmes of the world in chiffon minis. The unmentionables are well pronounced as they team up the stuff with camisoles, silk halters, and even asymmetrical tops. Ooh! Blacks under whites, it's all so lucid, and stunning. Oh yes, some of the teeny-weeny tops are so small, you think the street divas purchased them in eight class with the guarantee of wearing the stuff in college passing out ceremony. And, are doing their best to fulfill that promise! And then there's the translucent collection that gives you a clear view of prettiness peeing from inside and the impression that beauty is not just garment deep. This is not the end of it. Go to the discotheques and there you see pretty young things, averse to the idea of donning minis, displaying attitude in trendily threadbare jeans worn-out to the skin at strategic places. Now, why the fuss? "Really, I fail to understand what's wrong with the stuff the cheerleaders wear when half the city is donning a not very different style?" questions young fashion designer Taruna Gautam. "It's like asking someone to shroud the dining table's legs with cloth because these indicate bareness. And, at the same time appreciate the exposure of real beauty to the eyes". Well fellows! Taruna's making a lot of sense. In the end, we can only say smile, things possibly can't be worse with street cheerleaders, if not the IPL ones, in sight.
saurabh@tribunemail.com |
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Little Interview THE Sid of Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi and his innocent love took our heart away way back in 1999. The Aditya of Raaz sent chills across the theatre. Later, a few more not-so-hit multi-starrer flicks rekindled hope for this fading star. Meet Dino Morea, model-actor, who seems to have found his calling now. Post-thrillers, action, serious and romance, Dino is now game only for comedy. “It’s going to only light flicks for me, from now,” he shared in an interview with us. Excerpts. n
On his role in Anamika. The flick is loosely inspired by the book Rebecca. It’s a story of a failed marriage and a fresh beginning. I play the husband, Vikram Singh Sisodiya, who gets caught between relationships. n
On the failure of Brahm. It was a fantastic experience shooting it, though I think the end product happened to be a shade darker than expected. But, then every flick has its fate and not all can appreciate grim cinema. n
On his best role so far. Holiday, for the awesome dancing experience. n
On his concern for the environment. I’ve recently planted a lot many trees in my garden. Also, in the pipeline are plans for the installation of solar power units. It’s simple, I have the money and space to do my bit for the environment, and am putting it to use. n
On his life on the fast lane. I’m presently riding a Yamaha RX and looking forward to buying another fast machine soon. |
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Sidelanes
THEY are just voices from another continent. We have talked over the phone but often their nasal, twangy sentences are hard to comprehend. They do not enunciate words as clearly as we do. They tend to speak fast and lay stress on syllables not in keeping with the Queen’s English. They are my son’s peers and have befriended him as an undergrad. Their families introduced him to the wonders and hospitality of the USA. It will be our pleasure to return the favour. Photographs on my desktop reveal a master race – once Hitler’s dream – with fresh faces, above average heights, beautiful eyes and hair. We want to show them the real India, with all its diverse people, warmth, traditional hospitality, unsurpassable street foods and varied landscapes. We want to introduce them to our historic monuments that often date back to the early BCs. Looking at the noble profiles of ethnic Americans, I often wonder if our kinsmen traversed the high seas to settle in that rich land. The Incas, Peruvians and Indians of South America, all seem to have the same features and colour as us. Their first stops are Delhi’s mosques, forts, mausoleums and ancient bazaars. From there they visit Fatehpur Sikri to get the feel of that ancient capital. Along the way they will see all there is, before they take an early morning elephant ride along Rajasthan’s desertways. We hope they can see a tiger at Ranthambore before they join us at Chandigarh as we show them Corbusier’s modern marvel and Nek Chand’s Rock Garden. These are young adults from the Big Apple and have seldom seen large animals in the wild. One of them told me he had grown up amongst pigeons, doves and squirrels that nested on New York’s high-rise windowsills. A few days on the beaches at Goa and a houseboat through the backwaters of Kerala will give them a glimpse of touristy India. Will they take back other pictures too? Today, the Indian sparrow and crow are as endangered a species as the tiger. The summer smell of Delhi speaks of garbage and decay so unlike their sanitised country. The slums, so much a reality of every growing Indian town, house the poorest of poor who survive due to indomitable spirits, smiles, tremendous patience and fortitude. They eke out a living from salvaged throwaways. Most have never held a pencil in their hands. I spend a few hours a week in one of these settlements and would like to take my young guests there to understand one of the realities of modern India. Will they see the child-mother with one arm and three infants as she begs for coins in Sector 17, the most exclusive shopping area of the city? Will they notice the malnourished children outside eating places, as they forage for food, sharing space with stray cows and dogs? Will they be disgusted or will they show compassion and understanding? Will they question the inequalities of the world or will they accept them? Will they be able to understand why corruption is such a driving force in poorer countries? If they can fathom even one of these realities they will have become wiser by the end of the trip and will make a great difference to the global community. (This column appears weekly) |
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Rising Star A
STANDING ovation, incessant clapping and adulatory introduction made Meenakshi feel on the top of the world, as the chief guest awarded her with a gold medal and prestigious roll of honour for standing first in MA Music (vocal) at Panjab University. The ceremony reminded her of a similar crowning achievement when young Meenakashi won a state-level competition for singing the soulful poetry of Shiv Batalvi in 1994. Winning top positions in competitions in classical, ghazal, folk, literary and devotional singing were part of her formative years which continued till her college days at Arya College, Pathankot, and later at GCG, Chandigarh. She was initiated into the world of music by her musician father Murari Lal Sharma, a graded artiste of AIR-Jammu, and her skill was later honed by acclaimed maestro Gopal Dass. “As music is in my vein, in my body and soul, I pressurised my parents to marry me off in a family devoted to music,” she is candid enough to admit while talking to Lifestyle. “And now my life partner Ravi Garg, a noted tabla exponent, plays rhythm to my tunes,” she laughs. During her stint at Gurmat Sangeet Akademy and GCG-42, she had been fully involved as a teacher, performer and a guide. Her felicity and grounding in classical, folk and devotional genre has been permeating her music with an honest appeal which she displayed in her playback singing for films like Shaheed Bhai Taru Singh, Tera Bhaana Meetha Laage. Many of her shabads are regularly aired on ETC channel. “A good performer and teacher can add richer dimensions to the performing capabilities of a disciple by inspiring and inculcating all the requisite qualities of a perfect and ideal artiste in him or her,” claims Meenakshi. (This column appears fortnightly)
lifestyletribune@gmail.com |
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Solely Junoon
WE don’t have the heart to call it a trend, but on the surface, Sufism seems to be on the path of rediscovery. Singers feeling proud of their Sufi singer label, TV channels devising reality shows with Sufi components, discs echoing with Sufi rock and Sufi pop, and more. When our cynicism that anything to do with Sufism sells, found support in Zila Khan’s statement as how labelling of Sufism has gone down in order to cater to the market demand, we realised it was time to have a close look into the issue and came across people in the city who are portraying Sufism in different media, solely for their junoon for it. Devoted Strokes THINK Sufism and visual art, and images of Andretta-based Sobha Singh’s paintings capturing the ecstatic Sohni Mahiwal in the Chenab waters comes to mind. Yes, it carried the Sufi essence because it was based on Qadir Yaar’s verses, who wrote the story of Sohni in Sufi strains, where Ishq Majazi (human love) is considered a short cut to Ishq Haqiqi (love for god). Later, Satish Gujral painted Sohni in a half-bent form with Mahiwal sprawling below at her feet and a peacock perched on the green-gold foliage and a pitcher resting below. Manjit Bawa captured Sohni with the pitcher under one arm, floating along with ripples of water caressing her pink and peach garment. Arpana Caur depicted the story from a woman’s point of view with lots of empathy with the subject. Her Sohni is earthy and vigorous. So far the saga of Sohni has been a painted one mostly. But recently, city-based artist Malkit Singh made a bold attempt by painting Bulle Shah as a common villager. His recent works include Shah with a goat and another one showing him talking to a horse. “I had been reading about Bulle Shah and his simplicity. It was his detachment towards anything materialistic that got me interested. So I decided to paint him as a common man with the sea of humanity.” So how challenging is it to draw a legendary figure? “Quite. It is difficult to portray the drama and philosophy through symbols. While one has to capture the true spiritualism that Bulle Shah propagated, at the same time one has to add a contemporary time and space feel to it,” he adds. Passionate Words TALK Sufi music and compositions and the discussion stands incomplete without a mention of Kamal Tewari. The actor-singer-composer who was goaded ‘to know the unknown through the known’ was smitten by birha, love and longingness — the essence of Sufiana kalaam. He gave the city a number of qawalis, songs and even used them as part of his plays like in K. L. Zakir’s Karmabali and Bhism Sahni’s Muafze. This was all a long time ago. But Sufism in the literary form has made a recent come back, courtesy Rana Nayar, a professor of English Literature at Panjab University, who was honoured with Indian Literature Golden Jubilee Translation Prize for his translation of Baba Farid’s couplets. And what attracted him to delve into the subject was the philosophy of life depicted in Sufi poetry. “Sufism offers fine understanding of life and in a time and age where religious tension is so pronounced, Sufism has a lot to offer,” says Nayar. A research scholar from Jalandhar Ramnita Sharda is too struck by Sufi philosophy. “I was always interested in Bhakti Movement and when I realised Bhakti Movement has its roots in Sufism I started reading about Baba Farid, Maulala Jallaluddin Rumi and more. It was then I realised my own desire to known about the creator and my connection with him,” she says. A comparative study, drawing the similarities between the teachings of Baba Farid and Rumi, is now the subject for her Ph D. And Ramnita gives us an interesting insight into Sufism, “Normally it’s ‘until death do us part’, but in Sufism, it’s ‘until death unite us’. |
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THEY call themselves ‘4’ and they are not one step short of being Famous Five. Their adventure is limited only to paint, brush and canvas. Akash Gaur, Rakesh Kumar, Shiven Tanwar and Praveen Kumar, students of Government College of Art have come together as a group. Here’s a sneak preview of the exhibition by the budding artists that opens this Saturday at Government Museum and Art Gallery. Shiven Tanwar has worked on crows. Titled, Dialogues 1,2,3 and 4, his crows are metaphors for the spokespersons of society. “We all wish to bring a change in the society, but all we do is talk about it,” says Shiven. His medium is acrylic on canvas and he executes the crows in semi-figurative and semi-abstract form. Akash in a hope to relive himself from boredom started drawing yawning faces. “Yawning for me is a punctuation mark that brings a certain degree of relief,” he says. Textured with dripping enamel on acrylic background, Akash takes inspiration from familiar faces and sometimes caricature. Praveen will be exhibiting three drawings and one oil painting, based on faces and animated characters. Executed in colour pencils, Praveen shows command over his lines, as much as Rakesh, the fourth artist who shows his expertise over stack-to-stack lines that brings a lot of movement to his Field series. — TNS On till May 21
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Health Tip Causes: Weakening in the valves of the veins in the legs makes it hard for the veins to push blood back leading to accumulation of fluid. It can occur from sitting or standing in one place for long. Certain lung, liver, kidney, thyroid and heart diseases. During pregnancy, uterus puts pressure on blood vessels. High salt intake also causes accumulation of fluid. Symptoms: Swelling, numbness, mild pain, loss of sensation. Management: Place a pillow under legs while lying down. Compression with stretch bandage or stockings. Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time. Limit salt intake. Take diuretic or water pill, which helps in excreting excess fluid. Exercises: Lie on back with legs elevated and resting against a wall. Externally rotate the hips. Repeat several times. Lying on the back, move the legs alternately simulating cycling motion.
— Dr Ravinder Chadha
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TAROT TALK
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MONEY buys a lot, but not everything. Jannat tells the story of a man torn between his ladylove and his addiction to make quick money. It is the story of a man caught in a quagmire of crime and consumerism as he struggles to find heaven on earth. Arjun (Emraan Hashmi) is a reckless young man with an obsession for making money at card games. A chance meeting with a girl named Zoya (Sonal Chauhan) in a mall gives him the reason to move out of his ordinary life. He steps up from playing small-time card games to becoming a bookie. 
A YEAR after their first adventure in Narnia, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are pulled back into the land of Narnia by Susan’s magic horn. The children are once again enlisted to join the colourful creatures of Narnia in combating an evil villain who prevents the rightful prince from ruling the land. 
Swelling over ankles and feet is known as Edema. This is caused by accumulation of fluid and it is not a disease, but a symptom of various diseases. 
ARIES: ARIES: You draw The Ace of Cups. So, this would be a week when you would be at your intuitive best. You would be perceptive and would be able to see the subtletiesof nearly everything.But,be patient and do not plunge into anything recklessly. Lucky colour: Pink. Tip of the week: Save money for rainy days.
LIBRA: Your card, The Moon, says many of you would use this week to catch up with overdue tasks. Some of you may be planning your summer holidays while married Librans would re-ignite the spark of love and romance in their relationships. Lucky
colour: Purple. Tip: You should not be content with mere financial gains.
TAURUS: The Chariot card interprets you would find someone special. Professionally, you would have to focus on being a team player. Give sufficient rest to your body. Lucky
colour: Pink. Tip: Listen to your voice of wisdom.
SCORPIO: The Nine of Roads says that the changes of the past weeks would start to show their results. Trust your instincts when making a vital decision. There may be some financial stress due to Mercury being in conjunction with Uranus Lucky colour: Crimson. Tip: Don’t be enthusiastic in finalising a particular deal. 
GEMINI: The Star says that you will take a break and gain perspective on what you want professionally. Most of you would realise the importance of a mix of money, health, work, and pleasure. Lucky colour: Pink. Tip: Don’t read too much into ordinary situations. 
SAGITTARIUS: The Princess of Swords reveals you would feel strong, physically and emotionally. At work and in business, this week is well-suited to new projects. Life would seem happy and bright to you and it is up to you to make the most of it. Lucky
colour: Wine red. Tip: A positive and caring attitude heals old wounds. 
CANCER: The Fool says all the hard work of the previous week would pay off. Many of you would learn new skills and acquire more knowledge. Romance would be in the limelight. Students should stay level-headed and calm. Lucky
colour: Purple. Tip: Focus on meditation and spiritual discourses.
CAPRICORN: You draw the Six of Wands. This would be a week in which you would want to be adventurous. Career prospects would improve. At home, be direct and in your communication with your partner. Socially, you would spend time helping others. Lucky
colour: Red. Tip: Do not overspend and keep the scales balanced. 
LEO: The Five of Pentacles says your desire to be loved would be strong this week. Some of you may form new friendships that may have a positive influence on your life. Money matters would be a matter of balancing income and expenditure. Lucky
colour: Rose pink. Tip: Leave things open ended for best results.
AQUARIUS: The Ten Golden Cups suggest a makeover.Those in public or creative professions would earn admiration . A favourable week for changes at home and office.Lucky colour: Black. Tip: Don’t be too certain about obtaining a clearance.
VIRGO: The Five of Cups says many of you would try new activities and this would stimulate your mind. Take good care of your wellbeing and your character. Financially, there may be a windfall. Lucky
colour: White. Tip: Boost your confidence with positive thinking.
PISCES:
The Wheel of Fortune says personal relationships would grow stronger. Pay attention to the guidance lent by seniors in financial issues. Lucky colour: Peacock green. Tip: Don’t give into accepting situations you dislike.