Cut above rest — Photo by Pradeep Tewari

He has earned many sobriquets from the industry. A perfectionist for some, a social activist for others, a pain for some directors, arrogant, high headed but for the youngsters in the city, he is certainly a trendsetter. Hail Aamir Khan, the sikandar who has given youngsters many styles time and again, with practically every movie of his. So, be it the young chocolate boy image of Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikander, the so-very-cool look of Dil Chahta Hai or the long haired period feel of Mangal Pandey, Aamir had always tossed up styles which are always lapped up by the youth the minute they are seen on the screen. This time too, Mr Perfectionist has spawned many styles and carved a look that’s bold, awesome and sure of being followed. The latest is the Gajini look and the city lads sure have gone ga-ga over it. You can see them flaunt the same with élan.

Looking at the meandering routes on their heads, we wonder what’s with these lads. Sporting that labyrinth path on their heads!

Chips in Ashok Phull, a student of GCM-11, who has been sporting Aamir’s Gajini look for a while now and is quite happy with the compliments he has earned. “Aamir is a trendsetter. He does everything with style. Unlike the other actors who put io weird styles with every movie, Aamir does everything sensibly.” Adds Ashok, as he sits in a salon to get rid of the extra hair with have grown up on the narrow criss-crossing lanes on his scalp. “This Gajini hair cut is damn cool and you bet it needs a lot of attitude to sport it. It’s also called the American Grass and it’s simply awesome.”

Chetan Saxena, a Class VIII student from Kurali, shaved off his black bouncy hair to get those lines on his head. “I got it done because it looks very Angrezi. David Beckham had a hair cut like this once and so did footballer Ronaldo. Besides, this is a very manageable cut.”

Sure it is. And very stylish too. After all it comes from the Aamir house of fashion . The man has a nose for style that is always hatke.

Zahid of Zahid Signature Saloon is also of the view that Aamir is like a model. “Be it clothes or haircut, he has always given us trends, which are being followed till date,” says Zahid, who has given almost 10-15 guys the new Gajini haircut. “His short-cropped hair and goatee are still a rage with the youngsters.” About the new haircut he adds, “It is the best haircut for summers. Easy to manage, and you don’t even have to run your hands through the hair every morning,” he laughs.

“Lastly, this hair cut has an international feel to it.” Agrees Himanshu Kapoor, a student, “This hair cut signifies liberation. It is like doing something which you feel like.” “I feel like a free soul now,” he adds. “It might sound strange to you, but it sure is a symbol of freedom.”

Hats off to Aamir mia and the Gajini style!

jasmine@tribunemail.com

Thank God for the Supreme Court verdict, M.F. Husain’s Bharat Mata is finally a work of art. That makes Husain free to end his self-imposed exile and come back to his country. The news spread cheer among his fans and fellow artists. The morning copy of the national dailies also gave the artist community in the city something to muse over, especially the comment of the Bench (comprising Chief Justice K. G. Balakrishnana and justices P. Sathasivam and J. M. Panchal) – “Does the sentiment of the petitioner get scandalised by the large number of photographs of erotic sculptures which are in circulation?”

Well, according to the reports, the irony was lost on the petitioner, though it opened up a debate among our homegrown artists. “Before Raja Ravi Varma clothed the Indian gods and goddesses, our artists had been quite generously capturing them without clothes. Look at any temple in India, voluptuous sculptures of female deities are for all to see and in fact, it is part of our cultural ethos,” says Neelam Mansingh Chowdhury, noted theatre person and art lover. Neelam, who has had the fortune of being Husain’s neighbour during her Mumbai days, says “Before this hungama erupted, I had seen this particular painting and found it quite innovative as he portrayed India as a goddess and called her Mata. Put like that, you see only art, not an undressed woman,” says Neelam. Calling this an act of justice delayed, she is of opinion that this is a case which in the first place should not have been entertained at all.

‘A national shame has finally been taken care of’, is how Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi chairman Diwan Manna puts it. “The verdict shows that the judiciary has understood art the way it should be understood,” says Diwan, adding that art should not be viewed with a narrow mindset. Diwan is happy for Husain as well as the artist community. “Husain is a national treasure who gave all his energy, creativity and intellect to the country. To do this to him is utter shameless,” he rues.

A big victory in the face of growing fundamentalism is how the Government College of Art principal Archana Shastri. “It was long overdue to him. Being a Muslim and globally celebrated artist, Husain has always been a soft target for the fundamentalists. And to talk of obscenity, Husain’s paintings are nothing in comparison to what is available on multimedia today, ” says Archana who is sad that it needed court intervention to resolve the matter.

Well, all’s well that ends well. After such a long period of furore, repercussions are bound to happen. For, while a majority feels genuinely happy that Husain can now come back home, there are others who still hold the view that the ‘exile’ was yet another Husain tamasha to jack up the prices of his paintings.

But this 92-year-old wizard has definitely proved that it’s time one realised that in art, there is no legitimate language.

parbina@tribunemail.com

“dancing and socialising are a part of every party but it is the dress code that makes youngsters get into the groove. from shopping to getting the apt costume stitched, we are on our toes before a bash.”

Some other wacky themes that set the parties rolling: Kindergarten Rockstars Dare to bare Black and white Pyjama party Paint the party red Gangster

Picture this. Seniors welcoming their freshers by applying tilak on the foreheads, under the watchful gaze of the entire faculty, all dressed in Indian formals. Add to it the backdrop of dahlia buntings over rows and rows of chairs that have been laid out for students so that they can listen to endless speeches!

What if your freshers’ bash was held in such an ambience? Probably not a single soul would turn up!

No wonder, when it comes to either saying goodbye to the seniors or welcoming the juniors, students like to have it out and out, as far away as possible. A majority of the freshers’ parties in various departments are being held in discs in and around Chandigarh. “Why not?” says Shreyasi Thakur, a student from the Department of Mass Communication, Panjab University, that recently held its freshers’ do at Silver-26. She adds, “It is much more fun, more exciting and the biggest thing is the ambience there.” She is one of the votaries of the fact that a venue makes a lot of difference, and actually sets the tempo for any event.

But that’s not all. Another reason they prefer outside venues is that it saves them the tedious job of making elaborate arrangements too. As Kanika Sharma, another student, points out, “It is just too much of a hassle to organise a party in the department. You are just left to overseeing things and making arrangements.” Outside, all you need to do is collect money and decide on the venue and everything else gets taken care of. Classic case of ‘Wanna be the host but don’t want trouble.’

And not to mention the fun of not being under watchful eyes. As a student says, on condition of anonymity, “Nobody wants to party under the watchful gaze of the faculty. Outside parties carry a feeling of freedom with them that’s hard to match.” Quite enlightening, that!

Wait. That’s not all. The keeping-up-with-the-Joneses syndrome has caught our students too. Manipal Singh Attwal, a third semester student from the Department of Laws, says, “Apart from the fun factor and political motives, students wanting to outdo other departments is a significant factor too.” They recently welcomed their juniors in style at Voodoo-26, apart from having a formal party on the department premises. After all, competition need not stop at infrastructure or results.

However, there are also some who don’t want to lose out on either of the venues. As the Department of English, which had two functions, one on the premises and the other one at Voodoo-26. Nosheen Kapoor , a student of the department says, “It’s good if you can have your party at both places. One can’t have an eight-hour party at the same venue. Moreover, there is a variety that comes with thje shifting of the place.” She agrees that the bash outside is quite different from the one they have on the campus.

The more the merrier, parties, that is.

Picture this: Students dressed up in a torn shorts, worn-out pants, chappals and grimy scarves and still looking stylish! The reason is that these guys ‘n’ gals we are talking about are attired in these weird costumes purposely. They’re no labour class, but chic dudes and dandies of the campus who otherwise love to sport the latest styles and the costliest of brands. And they don’t mind wearing all branded stuff even to their fresher’s bash with the theme, ‘Labour’s Night Out’.

Besides this interesting dress code that the students of the Mass Communication department executed this year, the list of such themed parties is quite a lengthy one.

What purpose do these themes serve? Sukrant Bhatia, a second year mass communication student, lets in, “Everyone has to follow a dress code, as per his or her perception, which makes it even more interesting. It’s also about testing the creativity of students.” Not to forget another motive behind these wacky themes, “It is the simplest way to trouble juniors. Giving them such funny themes means an obligation that they have to follow but the at the end of the day, it helps develop a bond between the seniors and juniors,” he quips.

Jiving to foot-thumping numbers under the multihued lights, the students of the UILS department, PU, had a ball at their freshers’ bash recently when they came dressed like ‘devils and angels’. Supriya Garg, a second year student, elaborates on the party and its theme, “We chose this theme as it gave everybody a chance to experiment with their looks and attire. Most of us wore black, red or white dresses and a dash of dark make-up to bring about the devilish look.”

What makes these dress codes special is that they don’t make youngsters lose out on the fashion factor. “Girls in the party were looking their best in one-piece dresses; halter and tube tops and boys wore stylish waistcoats, designer shirts and even suits but still didn’t violate the theme as we were smart enough to blend the theme with the latest trends. To put it in short, we were beautifully or cruelly, decked up,” says Shivani Gupta about the rocking event.

Like last year, which saw the fashion statement of the1970s, as shown in Om Shanti Om, making inroads as a theme for freshers’ parties, this time too, the students of the English Department followed it. And they enjoyed it to the hilt by grooving to the dance styles of the same era.

Harmandeep Singh Khaira, an MA English student, adds, “Polka dots, bell bottom pants, bows and scarfs, everybody was wearing these and after sometime it actually looked as if were all in that era.” So what made this get-together really special?

ashima@tribunemail.com

Doubts? Look around… you find damsels of the world giving a leg up to fashion by taking a shot at shorts. Surely, they provide a discernible testimony to the existence of the epoch.

That's right, fellows! College or varsity campus! City's downtown or the geri route! Shorts are in no short demand. They are 'in' like never before. And going by the popularity, you can say the trend is not short lived.

"It was the bohemian look of the `70s until about two months back," says fashion designer Shweta. "You had the non-conformist style with long ankle-skimming floral maxi-dresses and big brown tortoise-shell sunglasses. But the fashion weather has changed faster than the season, and few style gurus have really been able to predict it." Short-sightedness? You can say that again.

At the moment so many gals are simply skirting maxi-dresses and skirts. They are now having a shot at all those teeny-weeny hot pants. Right, the ones that give even the thirty-something the soft, fresh and fragile teenage look!

Well, some of the aunties in the short shorts and shorter tops do look odd lounging in all those coffee bars savouring life over cappuccinos and frappes. But then folks you can't help it. Matter of personal preference, isn't it?

Back to the long and short of shorts. It's just not cut-at-knees denim that's helping the maidens negotiate the short-cut to fashion. You have proper flattering and adaptable high-waist shorts. Put them and you wear an hour-glass figure. How? It simply clinches the waist. They naturally look all the more flattering and flattening in dark denim colours.

Okay fellows, you now want to know how shorts succeeded in attaining for themselves the status of a fad! Well, no one knows for sure. Nay, not even the upper cut putting themselves on view in the shorts. But if you are asked to hazard a guess, you can say Kareena Kapoor flaunting her size-zero in shorts in Chailya-Chailya really kicked of the trend.

You see, fashion in Chandigarh is closely linked with Bollywood. For more than a few, it's cool to identify themselves with the stars by donning the 70 mm stuff they display in reel life. It travels from screen to the streets in a really short time.

Wanna buy? You do not have to take a shot in the dark. Shoot through the fashion stores across the city and you find aisles lined with short temptations that coax you to pull hard currency notes from your handbag. In short, import surplus smart stores like Just Casuals-9 have shorts on the hangers, ready to be picked.

So, all you shorts-putters, forget all about the short-term benefits of buying just denims! Go in for shorts that promise to take you a long distance.

saurabh@tribunemail.com

Arindam Chaudhuri, the producer of Amitabh Bachchan's forthcoming The Last Lear, fears he may suffer losses to the tune of almost Rs 70 million, if the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) carried out the threat to prevent screening of all films starring the superstar or his family members.

"Film producers invest millions in making a film and spend volumes of money on publicity. Due to some unfortunate incident, a film shouldn't be dragged into any controversy," Chaudhuri said.

As of now, The Last Lear is set to release nationwide on September 12. Chaudhuri said that even a slight delay in the film's release would disturb his investment plans. "The release can't be delayed! My investment has been planned. My Mumbai collections will suffer greatly. Since it is a multiplex release, Mumbai and Delhi are my main markets. In fact, my profits will be affected as 40 percent of the collections come from Mumbai alone," Chaudhuri said.

The producer said: "Amitabh Bachchan is a national icon. People are waiting for his film - in fact for the film that has is best performance ever.”

He adds: "The courts need to do something about this. How can things continue like this in our country. It's surprising the way people are penalising others over nothing." ?"

The Last Lear, directed by award-winning filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh, highlights the different acting skills necessary for theatre and cinema. It is based on Utpal Dutt's play Aajker Shahjahan.

American singer Jessica Simpson made her Grand Ole Opry debut on September 6 night. Simpson sashayed onto the stage in a short and sparkly black frock with a plunging neckline, and started performing Come On Over, the first single from her new country album, Do You Know.

Tickets to the show had almost been sold out, and the audience included Simpson's parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, 'from all over Texas', she told Nan Kelley, host of Opry Live, adding it felt like a homecoming to her.

"I can't believe I am here!" People magazine quoted Simpson, 28, as saying.

The only downside to her performance was her choice of clothing, which audience members found a little too

revealing. "I think she should have put some clothes on," one viewer said. And another one responded as to how and what she liked about the performance. "I loved that new girl, Crystal (Shawanda) - and she was dressed appropriately," the person added.

Simpson had one die hard fan, Mandy, who was chosen by GAC out of the audience as "Jessica's biggest fan" and given the chance to go backstage to meet her.

"I think everything she does is perfect. I love her!"

Julia Roberts has revealed that she isn't worried about growing older and is 'relieved' to enter her forties. The Pretty Woman star, who reached the landmark age last October, also said that turning 40 doesn't really mean anything to her, reports China Daily.

"I guess I felt relieved after my birthday because everybody anticipates it so much for you that now we can all just relax. It's done. I had a lovely party with all of my kids and kin, and we had a great time," she said."However, it doesn't mean anything really. But getting older to me is nice anyway. I guess that there is a sense of relief. I think you are released from certain concepts as you get older," she added. Roberts also revealed that she is focusing on her personal life now, rather than her professional prospects.

American actress Lindsay Lohan is looking forward to raising a baby with her girlfriend Sam Ronson. It has even come to light that Lohan, who wants to go public about her relationship with Ronson, will be asking for assistance from one of her ex- boyfriends.

According to reports, the two, who admitted they are "smitten" with one another, are planning to wed and declare their love in a lavish LA bash and to strengthen their bond by having a child.

"Lindsay is in a very happy place at the moment. She's been having deep discussions about a baby," quoted a source close to the couple as saying.

"She wants a natural birth and has spoken to Sam about getting one of her ex-boyfriends to help out. They don't want to adopt," the source added.

Beyonce Knowles finally flaunted her 5 million dollar wedding ring on the red carpet for Fashion Rocks at Radio City Music Hall. It marks the first time the singer, who secretly married Jay-Z on April 4, has worn the sparkler to a public event, reports the New York Daily News.

Knowles flashed the bling on the red carpet and again while performing a tribute to Etta James. Jeweller Lorraine Schwartz told People magazine about the value of the 18-carat, emerald-cut diamond. Jay-Z, who was not present at the event, revealed his wedding ring in public for the first time on July 29, but usually opts to leave it at home. Knowles and her husband have yet to publicly confirm their marriage, although her sister Solange once referred to Jay-Z as her brother-in-law in an interview. — ANI

Hidesign has launched Adventure 02, its latest sophisticated workbag for men. Targeted at corporate business executives, this range is perfect for both office and casual usage.

The bag has an adjustable and removable shoulder strap along with a grab handle giving the business executive look besides other features like the flap with a hidden tuck lock closure, full-length slip pocket under the flap and interior zip divider pocket that enables the busy business executive some additional space to store some of their latest gizmos and gadgets. The bag has an outside back pocket with a metal zip. Available in waxy natural grain Sudan leather, Hidesign Adventure 02 is laptop compatible and comes with a complimentary laptop case. Priced at Rs 4,795.