A potli full of wedding accessories awaits the city’s grooms-to-be

On a fitness trail since she got engaged. Wants to fit into size S and flaunt her body beautiful. To gym till ‘the wed’, this is the story of the modern-day girl, who wants to be her fittest best for D-day. And what of the figure post-wedding, ah well that’s another story.

We speak to some modern-day brides-to-be on taking to the gym before marriage and they are all for shaping up.

“I was a regular, but then I took a good long break. And since I am getting married in December I am back on track since two months,” says Raznie Dewan, Assistant Manager in a daily publication.

Ask her, does it really help? “Psychologically, it does. It at least gives us girls a feeling that we are trying to tone up. And the reason is pretty simple, every girl wants to look her stunning best on her wedding day.”

While ‘healthy’ is the key word, for all these girls who want to thin down before their marriage, diet plays an important role. “Girls go on a crash diet and exercise frantically and this is absolutely not right. Balance has to be maintained and a healthy eating pattern followed,” informs Dr Abha Taneja, who runs her clinic at Himachal Bhawan in Sector-28.

Ask her how much time it takes to lose weight in a healthy way and here’s her tip, “People who walk regularly for 35 minutes daily for a month or so surely feel the change. While the key to a fit body is regular exercise and a healthy diet, weight loss also depends on the body type. But I must say brides-to be should never go for crash diets as one loses natural vitamins, calcium iron and many other key minerals from the body. Aren’t we looking for a healthy glow?”

“Unlike others, I wanted to put on weight,” says Diyva Nayyar, a resident of Sector 16 who is to wed in a few months. She adds: “I joined a gym because I wanted to gain weight and now I plan to be regular because I want a well-toned body before marriage.”

A personal banker in a private bank, Aneeka Malhotra, says, “I am getting married on October 3, and I just joined the gym some 15 days ago.” While she is gunning to lose some 5 kg, her reason is, “I want to wear a short choli with my bridal lehnga and for that I need to shed weight, otherwise my baby fat will show on the waist and arms.”

If that be the trend, we wonder are all girls jogging their way to marriage. “Yes, girls usually get into a fitness mode just before marriage, but in my case I have been doing aerobics regularly since the last three years now,” says Richa Gupta of sector-48. Getting married in November, she opines, “Joining gym just before marriage is not a good idea. Girls should at least join a year before.”

On whether crash gymming is a good idea, Ronnie, owner, Regal Health Care-46, says, “Joining one or two months before a wedding is absolutely not a great idea. One needs to join at least six months in advance. Rest, it all depends on an individual’s metabolism, some can reduce 2-3 kg in a month, others cannot.”

Ask him about any unusual requests and he quips, “One girl called to say she wanted to lose weight in a month’s time and that I should think how it could be done and not bother her.” 

DESIGNER Rocky S showcased his signature collection at a fashion show in Mumbai on Tuesday. The show was the last leg of eight-city round for Seagram's Blender's Pride party tour 2008. The venue was a plush hotel in Mumbai. The concept of the show was to relate fashion with party. Ramp scorchers like Carol Gracious, Candie Pinto, Bhawna Sharma and Lisa Haydon set the ramp on fire donning sheer black outfit form.

"Today I am presenting my signature style. It is black evening wear for women who want to feel confident, look good and feel special. There is a lot of glamour and sensuality in my collection. It is a very special line of mine," said Rocky S.

The designer Rocky S had honour of opening Milan fashion week in 2005 with likes of fashion czars like Armani, Roberto Cavali and Prada.

Actor Johnny Depp is set to reunite with the Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski on his upcoming animated flick Rango, which is about a household pet that goes on an adventure to discover its true self, and Depp will be lending his voice to the lead character.

Rango will be produced by Verbinski's Blind Wink Prods, Graham King and John Carls, Par-based Nickelodeon Films is expected to be involved as well. "Rango aims to use cutting-edge animation techniques that will allow us to capture and translate every aspect of Johnny's performance, using it to drive the computer-generated character in a way that has yet to be seen in an animated feature," Verbinski said. Depp will begin working for Rango, penned by John Logan based on an idea hatched by Verbinski, early next year.

AUDIO

LATINO beauty Jennifer Lopez might appear as a celebrity guest judge in Project Runway's finale. According to the sources, the 39 year old star will join the ranks of guest judges such as pal Victoria Beckham, Natalie Portman and Brooke Shields, who have all weighed in on the runway looks of the show's top designers.

However, the show's reps have neither denied nor refused the reports.

"We'd rather give the audience and viewers a surprise," said the show's rep. — ANI

All you need is a little aesthetic sense and patience to look around for the right décor items

If you have the flair and know-how, great style doesn’t always come with a price tag. So, those of you out there who have a limited budget and even more limited time, but the wish to live in style, need not worry. This philosophy is applicable to home décor as well.

If you are still clueless, let us help you out. Here are some simple tips from the professionals.

Shikha Verma, interior designer from Design Atellier-17 says: “When it comes to the decoration of the house, people do have to spend money. Furniture, draperies come for a price, but more than the money, one has to think of designs and placement of things. Because that’s what makes all the difference. Right colour combination is important, as it can very well make or mar the room. Take for instance the children’s room. One can use fluorescent green or any other bright paint on the wall, match it with some bright curtain and even if you have no great furniture the room would look amazing.”

According to her, aesthetics is the key word. One can experiment with chiks instead of curtains and go for wrought iron furniture instead of wooden ones. Your home reflects how eco-friendly you are. So decorate it with lots of plants. They lend the home a happy green look.

“Lots can be done in a low budget. It’s not necessary that one needs to spend a huge amount for that ‘wow’ look. A low sitting arrangement with lots of cushions thrown in and side tables made of terra-cotta and pottery can lend an ethnic look to your drawing room. If one wants to save on draperies, chiks or cotton curtains are good options. Durries can be a good alternate for carpets as they look cool and easy to maintain. Drugeds, called nabadas, in colourful shades look great. Other than that, one can pick cane furniture which is low cost,” says Krishan Kant Bhagra, an architect and proprietor of Whispering Willows, a resort in Baldehan in Shimla.

Decorating a house is, however, not an easy job. One has to plan things in advance. The best thing to do is pick up decorative items from exhibitions and sales, keeping the theme of the décor in mind.

For Mehnaz Amjad, director, Sohrab Group, Malerkotla, decorating a home in low budget is easy when one has is a vision and the aesthetic sense. “I have been designing furniture in wrought iron for a long time now. Easy on the pocket, they make a great style statement. One should go for one heavy piece like a coffee table or easy chairs and do rest of decor according to that one piece. Decoration pieces like wrought iron statues, wall hangings or wooden barrels blended in smart designs can be used for the picture- perfect finish.”

jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com

• Do each room in a different style. But make sure the styles blend easily with the overall décor of the house.
• Make a budget after carefully considering all the things you need and then stick to it.
• Collect pictures of various ideas for each room and do your homework on how each room should look. This will finally help you to select things.
• If you have difference of opinions, find some common things which you all like.
• Do not follow trends. Find a style that will be in vogue always.

Harry Baweja unwinds by promoting young artistes

His Love Story 2050 did not do well at the BO. But then Harry Baweja has no regrets. He simply wanted to make a sci-fi flick and launch his son, Harman Baweja. He did both.

“Well, we took our chance but I guess the audience was not ready. Our purpose was to make a sci-fi film and launch Harman and I feel we have achieved our goals,” says Harry, who was in town to promote the North India Acting Contest. The talent hunt will conclude on September 27, and hold your breath! Harman will come to perform with the youngsters for the grand finale.

The filmmaker, who is taking a break after hard work of three-and-a-half years that went into making of Love Story 2050, is happy to be associated with upcoming talent. “It is an attempt to tap new potential from the North and prepare them for various opportunities as more than 4,000 different avenues are available in the media and entertainment industry, says city-bred Baweja.

Baweja is excited at the entry of the corporate sector in the entertainment industry. “It’s a great boom for the industry. Big players are not only financially backing the projects but also releasing the films worldwide. Also, the multiplex culture is increasing the budgets of the films manifold that is in the greater interest of the industry,” he says. However, he chose not to comment when the issue of Hindi-Marathi conflict was raised.

The Administration, along with ITFT and the Centre for Media and Entertainment Industries, will organise a conference on September 27 to promote the North as the destination for movie tourism. Various countries have raked in moolah from Bollywood shootings, notably South Korea (Gangster) and Singapore (Krrish) apart from Switzerland, USA and the UK. “People want to go to places that they see in the films. Our effort is to promote north India as a destination for cinematic tourism,” says Baweja. 

History is found in various places, books, nooks and a family’s memorabilia stored in overflowing tin trunks. The veracity of facts found in letters, photographs, old bills and official correspondence, is based on the perspectives of people who dealt with the events mentioned therein. Today, Indian history as written by British historians has become a matter of controversy as it is from the vision and biases of the colonists. Our history has been passed on by word of mouth, from grandmothers and grandfathers, uncles and aunts, and is often embellished with details that sometimes seem like improbable figments of imagination. But they were a part of that history and if a little spice is added due to sentiment and emotion, so be it. It is up to us to sift out the main story and its protagonists.

Chandigarh was officially created in 1956. Pt Jwaharlal Nehru’s vision was shaped by Le Corbousier and his team of architects. Eulie Chaudhry was one of them. A wonderful, intellectual woman, who took part in plays and readings, she passed away some years ago. Her home was a melody in black white and red. Each chair, table and plate was like a well thought out poem in colour and elegance. She was a part of the Tricity’s unrecorded history.

A friend of mine took me to visit her father. He was an unsmiling, stern man with a typically fair, handsome Punjabi visage. Saroj told me that during Partition he had walked into India with nothing. Today the main financial hub of Chandigarh has his name all over it. This was a man who made Indian history but his stories can only be heard from other people’s accounts.

History is also written in monuments. Mumtaz Begum and Humayun cannot be separated from the tombs built to glorify them. However, there are lesser-known mortals from a bygone era, whose graves tell their stories. The cemeteries at Mhow and Panjim are scripted in stone and tell of the British and the Portugese, both colonial powers in our country.

Lt Lawrence Patrick Gowan, son of Lt Gen Gowan, was only 27 when he was killed by a tiger on April 24, 1869, in the forests of Mhow. He belonged to the Royal Bengal Artillery. Obviously he was a good shikari but the tiger was better. Drums, cap, sword and a gun are engraved on white marble in the memory of Capt A. F. Bart of the 26th Regiment, Bombay Native Infantry. He died on October 13, 1843 of Jungle Fever. Malaria, Dengue and heatstroke were all possible contributors towards his untimely demise. Lieutenants F. W. Brodie, C. J. Hunt, G. L. Mills, A. O. Mayne and Asst. Surgeon H. T. Cary died at the hands of their own sowars at Mullahgurh on June 7, 1857. History tells us that the sowars were patriots but from the British perspective, they were assassins. Saddest of all is the story of Cornelia, beloved wife of Major H. W. Harris of the Bombay Army. She was just 26 when she died on October 8, 1816. Many tiny graves with angels on the headstones, remember the British children who fell to the vagaries of our climate.

History is interesting but it is up to us to unravel as much of the truth as we can.

When we met Kalawati a couple of years ago, she was on the verge of retiring from her modeling job at the Government College of Art. Looking at her weather-beaten, frail body, one could see why. Posing for hours without moving a muscle for all those budding artists year after year was taking its toll on her. Now, we learn that she is officially retired, giving way to the younger lot but her association with the college does not end here. Nor are students willing to let her go. After all, batch after batch honed their skills with her, which sadly remained confined to Kalawati only, as a majority of them after passing out took up abstract art.

Call it the corporatisation of art or simply a trend; the traditional art workshops have undergone a total metamorphosis. No more three-day or seven-day camps where a handful of artists from the similar genre of art meet to execute a few paintings during the stipulated time. Organisers have changed from familiar Academies to big business houses, even entertainment companies. And locales have shifted from Kasauli or Kufri to Hong Kong, Russia, Mexico or Switzerland. And the best part is yet to come - nobody has to paint during those camping days, just relax and get a feel of the place. Painting can be done once the artist is back in his home. What more could one ask for?

It’s indeed a win-win situation for both organisers and participants. For participants, besides visiting exotic places and exchange of creative ideas that take place among the members of a heterogeneous group, it provides them a platform to explore new galleries, potential buyers and witness the changing trend in art as it is happening. And in return, the organisers get two paintings from each participant.

“It’s indeed a welcome trend,” says Viren Tanwar, who recently took part in two such excursions, the first one, and a 10-day visit to Russia, which was organised jointly by Delhi-based Dimensions and Mumbai-based Puja Entertainment and more recently a seven-day trip to Macau, which was organised by Camlin. “Unlike traditional art workshops, such trips give an artist the total freedom to paint what he wants to paint and also at his own time and place,” explains Viren. The time limit, according to him, at times could prove to be a negative factor for many. “It’s alright for artists like M. F. Husain, who can execute a painting within 40 minutes, but most of us need time and a relaxed environment to paint which is not possible at art camps,” he adds. Though on the organiser’s part, an artist is supposed to submit two of his paintings on a subject of his choice within one month, the time restriction is not absolute.

Brahm Prakash, who has just returned from such a tour to Switzerland, organised by Dimensions and Puja Entertainment once again, is happy the way the excursion was conducted. “We were given the best of facilities and also a substantial amount of money to spend while we were abroad. We saw the magnificent Swiss Alps from all possible sides and just went on clicking it, capturing it, in all its changing mood and colour,” says Brahm as he opens his computer to show us the collection of photographs. Well, a lot of exchange in ideas took place among 40 artists who came from all four corners and he got a glimpse of the contemporary art world, but this trip reawakened in him one subject he always loved to paint – the mountains and that too in his favourite medium – oil. “Though I have had painted mountains before, I am planning to do a complete series on this subject as the Swiss Alps is the most fascinating range of mountains I have seen,” he says. And happy, that he has one complete month at his disposal to execute his ideas on canvas

That’s precisely the objective of these tours – to inspire. Vinod Sharma, who conceptualised the camps for Dimensions and Puja Entertainment, is a veteran artist himself and hence understand the pitfalls of a traditional art camp. “In my 40-year-long career as an artist I have attended numerous art camps and I understand the tremendous pressure an artist goes through to produce a studio painting within limited hours. So, we came out with this concept in which artist gets the prime focus and also full liberty to give his best,” says Vinod.

A welcome trend, as hailed by Balwinder, a veteran artist of the city: “It heralds the era of commercialisation in art but then that is important. We are tired of having to sell our work for peanuts as we lack the marketing skill and also the exposure.” Well, going global in the true sense, one would say!

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