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Head turners
With can't help admiring her. She looks stunning, simply charming and spectacular. And she moves with a grace that makes everyday turn their heads. And if you are still wondering whether she is a Bollywood hottie or a petite sexy model, then it's time to think beyond the obvious. It is no one other than, 70 years old vintage car and believe us she has no dearth of admirers. And she is not the only one, because we got to see many other pretty ones at the Lyons Vintage and Classic Car Rally organised to mark the celebrations of the World Tourism Day. Red, yellow, orange, the bright coloured cars sashayed their way through the city roads. A real treat for the people. We chat up with some participants, who are also the members of the Vintage and Classic car club, Chandigarh as they share their experiences of driving the old machines.
Sherry Bhurjee Brig (Retd) J.S. Phoolka Proud owner of the oldest vintage car of the club, he feels driving it is nothing less than a joyride. Even when he has a Mercedes in his garage, the old Ford Tourier is an important family asset. Imported by the Nawab of Brailey in 1933, he bought it 10 years back. says J.S. Phoolka, founder president of the club, "It's a convertible and I proud of it. Not to miss the charm of exclusivity that the car offers. I might be one amongst many to drive a swanky Merc, but it is certain that I am the only to own a classic vintage car," he smiles. Jaswant Singh Balbir Singh He is the man who should be applauded every time you see a vintage or classic model drive past. He is the man behind the scene, someone who has been taking care of most of the old cars. Balbir's an electrician and he has been repairing these automobiles for the last forty years. The job at hand is not an easy one. "The spare parts for these cars are normal not available, so, a lot of hit and trail is needed to fit in the spare parts well." What makes him do this job? "These cars are the heritage of our city. I can't see gather rust. They should be out moving gracefully on the city road." ashima@tribunemail.com
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Rum & reggae
It's not everyday that the tricity gets a glimpse of authentic Havana culture. But on Sunday, it did. You've heard of the world famous Havana cigars, read about celebs swearing by it, now get ready to be floored by its rum. Pernod Ricard India launched Havana Club, white Cuban rum, in true blue Cuban style, with the musical band of five, Nu Havana, setting the evening on fire. Cuba and rum? Wow! An interesting combo for us to throw a string of inquisitive questions. Get ready. But before we start, we request for 'no politically correct answers'. Like everyone, he promises. Like every time, we test. So, the first tour to India? The band manager, Yusmel answers, "Yeah, this is our third week." Long enough to form an impression? He smiles, "So far we've been to Delhi, Gurgaon and Goa, and I think people here don't know much about our culture. People in Delhi are reserved and don't smile much. Gurgaon was interesting." He seems to stick to his promise. And what about Chandigarh (hoping he has some nice things to say). He smiles, "We came only yesterday, and straight away landed in the hotel. Tomorrow's our off. So, we hope to walk around. But yes, it is similar to our place in terms of weather and forests around." Coming back to what brings them to India? He adds, "It was a decision of the company to launch the brand here and introduce a bit of Cuban culture." No wonder, he mentions Cuban culture and Cuban rum in the same breath. Nu Havana, the band is on a four-city tour, with Delhi, Goa and Gurgaon being the other three. As they consider these places to be 'image drivers' and receptive to wide spirits. We would like to know more about Cuba. Says Yusmel, "Dance is an integral part of our culture, a medium to express our emotions. It is the cult of life. And Cuban music combines hip-hop, reggae and is also very similar to salsa." What about the people there? Sandy Marquettei Granda, the animator of the band, says, "We adopt a happy attitude towards life." The band, consisting of two dancers, a percussionist, an animator and a trumpet player, has been put together by the Cuban Ministry of Culture. How did they come together? Explains Sandy, "I was an actor in Cuba. I met the musicians in 2006." Any idea of Hindi cinema? He manages to rattle the word Bollywood and shrugs, "I don't know much about Indian actors. But while in Cuba I met someone from India and they thought I resembled some actor from here." We are still guessing! lifestyle@tribunemail.com
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SRK was seen in a special appearance in Vivek's first film Bhootnath starring the Big B. Kal Kisne Dekha will introduce Jacky (son of producer Vashu Bhagnani) and Vaishali Desai (grand daughter of Manmohan Desai). The film has 15 stars playing cameo roles including Juhi Chawla and Rishi Kapoor. Vivek declined to divulge any details about the film and whether Big B and SRK would share screen space. In Bhootnath, they were not seen together. They were earlier seen in Yash chopra's Mohabatein and Karan Johar's Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham. He was tight lipped when asked if he was doing any projects for SRK's Red Chilles and AB Corp. Speaking about his directorial debut, Vivek said,"It's a great feeling to have tasted success in the very first attempt and in addition to that, to be associated with two top notch stars of the film fraternity." He described Kal Kisne Dekha as a romantic thriller adding Bhootnath will remain close to his heart. Vivek's turning producer very soon and want to colaborate with one of the biggest presenter. He is also directing Dil Can Fly Idhar Udhar for Ashtavinayak cine vision with Govinda.
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Hema's rail yatra
BOLLYWOOD superstar Hema Malini made news by taking an overnight train from Pandharpur in Maharashtra to Mumbai, sending photographers here into a tizzy.
Asked about it, Hema chuckled: "My God, news travels faster than our trains. I should've guessed. Some photographers saw me on the train. I was accompanied by my cousin Prabha and had gone there for a function, also visited some temples. The journey back required me to fly from Pandharpur to Pune then to Mumbai. Or, we could've come back by car." Hema preferred the direct night train. The journey would've been fun were it not for prying eyes. "The last time I travelled in a train was in March when I went from Delhi to Gwalior on Jyoti Scindia's invitation. I really enjoyed that." But the problem was the other passengers. "I was comfortable travelling by the middle class transportation. It's the other people who seemed uncomfortable." To top her woes the organisers of the function in Pandharpur forgot to hand over her tickets to Hema before she boarded the train. "When my cousin and I reached Mumbai we realised we didn't have our tickets with us. We got to know this only when the ticket collector came to our coupe. But that was all right. He immediately contacted Pandharpur, got our ticket numbers, etc. This is where the advantage of who I am came into play," she said with a chuckle. |
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Nightingale turns 79
INDIA'S most revered singer, melody queen, Lata Mangeshkar who mesmerised music lovers with her celestial voice for over 60 years celebrated her 79th birthday with family members in her Pune home on Sunday.
Didi, as she is fondly called by family and fans is never in Mumbai on her birthday. She stays put in her Kolhapur or Pune residence. She was last heard in Vikram Bhatt's 1920 where she shared playback credits with Pandit Jasraj and Asha Bhosale. The legendary singer was introduced to intricacies of classical music by her father Dinanath Mangeshkar. She did a few Marathi films like Pahili Mangalagau, Majhe Bal, Gaja Bhau and a few Hindi films Badi Maa, Jeevan Yatra and Samudra Mandir. Though her playback career started in 1942, she was leaving her first tentative footprints on a music scene dominated by the legendary Shamshad Begum and Noorjehan. It was in 1948 that her career graph took giant leaps with films like Mahal, Baiju Bawra, Nagin, Madhumati among others. |
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Real-ly reel
Sanjay Dutt's screen character Sattarbhai, a bully who collects loan instalments from bank debtors, in his forthcoming film EMI, has been inspired by a real-life collecting agent and the Bollywood actor spent a lot of time with him to get his act right.
"This is my most seriously funny and socially relevant character since Munnabhai. And I'm happy to be doing something that doesn't require me to go into the underworld," he quipped. |
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Vote for Christina
Well, in the mean time, the singer admitted that she wouldn't mind if fans popped in to buy her new single Keeps Gettin' Better, which is set to hit the market a day before the US election. |
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The Singleton returns
The novel is a story of a woman in her thirties, recently divorced, struggling to get used to her new single lifestyle in her new Australian home. The 49-year-old writer is said to be thrilled with Renee doing her love lacking ill-fated protagonist onscreen. "I am so excited. The premise struck a chord with her, she knows the place where it's set, Cronulla Beach in Sydney. She visited it as a kid." said the writer. "We know how good she is at British accents. She's the perfect age. She'd be great," the writer added. |
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Musical Minogue!
"We'll weave all her hits together into a great storyline. Kylie never does anything naff. She's got a finely tuned crap antenna and we don't suffer from an irony deficiency," said Kathy Lette. It is being said that the musical could rival West End hits We Will Rock You, with songs by Queen and Mamma Mia!, based on the music of Abba. — ANI, PTI, IANS
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One for the Road(ie)
Now, this is what the youngsters of the tricity have been waiting for. And they left no stone unturned to prove that they so desperately wanted to be a Roadie, little knowing that the sixth season throws in new surprises, and an extra dose of excitement, which mind you, is not palatable. Let's take it from the crowd gathered outside the Indradhanush auditorium, Panchkula. For them, Roadies is a religion. So, they sing, dance, jump in ecstasy to please the gods, Raghu and Rajiv. Says Devinder Khullar, who has closely followed all the seasons of Roadies. "I was planning a strategy for the interview, and then I read in a newspaper that Raghu will screw whatever plan we might make." Now? "Let's see. I will be myself and not try too hard to impress the judges." As for Tejbir Singh Khalon, who has come from Amritsar for the audition, Roadies is the coolest thing to happen on television. "It is an easy passport to name, fame and money," shares Tejbit. "If only you are selected," he is quick to add. Incidentally, most youngsters at the auditions believe that being a Roadie is cool. At least, the first timers do. Chips in Niharika Sakleja, 22, who missed her cousin's wedding for the audition. "I am a total adventure freak, and this is my chance to make it to Roadies. I have the looks, the attitude, some meanness and a clever mind. There is no reason why I can't make it to the finals." People, these are the Gen Y people, who crib and sulk about the 'sick' Indian system, and plan to change all that with their looks and attitude! Is this MTV Hero Honda Roadies all about? "Definitely not," echoes the group girls and boys gathered outside the auditorium. "Only a real human being can be a Roadie," says a girl, jostling her way through a group of macho boys. jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Rhythmic sensibility
"A documentary film Rimpa Siva -Princess of Tablas was shot and released in France in 1998 after her scintillating performance at the World Child festival in Netherlands invariably speaks of her dedicated devotion to music and tabla," adds Dr Piyush Kumar, director HIFA. At 21, the strongly assertive and creative genius Rimpa was brought up in the musical family environment that seemingly influenced her sensibility and instead of playing with dolls she used to keep herself attuned to the betas of tabla. Her father and guru Swapan Siva , holding allegiance to Farakhubad gharana noticed a spark of unique talent in her. He groomed and sharpened her tabla playing skills since she was just three years old. At 10 she gave a sterling solo performance on tabla in a largely attended concert organized by West Bengal government in 1996. Rimpa was acknowledged as child prodigy in Calcutta, the Mecca of classical music. She enraptured the music lovers in Norway same year and won coveted a cash award besides two scholarships from WB state Music academy. Rimpa had performed at numerous national festivals in India and abroad. She gave solo performances during her extensive tours to USA, Holland, UK, Germany, France in 1997. She also has to her credit Shanmukha Sangeet Shiromani, Mumbai award and the President's award in 2007. Presently doing her masters in percussion music at the Rabindra Bharti University, Rimpa claims that performing with great Pandit Hari Parsad Chaursia during a two month tour of America in 2004 was a rejuvenating experience as also with Pandit Jasraj ji. Says Rimpa, playing solo and providing accompaniment to a vocalist as well as instrumentalist are too entirely different experiences. Being among the very few female artists in the world to be bestowed with such honours and adulations at an early age she bows in reverence to the almighty and her parents. lifestyle@tribunemail.com
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Sufi flavour
Musical talents shows, well, they are happening everywhere around us. But each one has a flavour of its own. A similar talent show Koyal Punjab Di brought Shankar Sahney to the city. The punjabi singer judged one out of the five best singers at DLF malls, IT park on Sunday.
We get talking to Shankar on mushrooming talent shows and find out that he is not happy with the regional divide that these shows promote through the process of voting. "It is not fair to ask votes on the basis a region. The voting procedure should be a free and fair one," says the singer. And now Shankar plans to expand his horizon through sufi music. "I love to perform live," says the PU alumnus, who is foraying into Sufi music with his soon to be released music album, which has been recorded and partly shot in California. In addition to this, he has also made an appearance in television serial Bidaai. So, what next? "A Punjabi movie," comes the reply. Talking about his style of music, Shankar says that he believes in variety. "Every kind of music has its time and place. Pop does not sound cool in mornings, folk suits the melas and an international audience loves to listen to modern music. mona@tribunemail.com |
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Sweet talk
Sachin Kalra
Here are some recommendations to curb carb and sugar cravings. Read each suggestion and notice how it applies to your eating habits or lifestyle. It does not require a Herculean will power. You should be conscious of the physiological and lifestyle factors that stimulate your cravings. w Eat small meals containing some protein every few hours to keep the blood-sugar level steady. Skipping meals causes sugar level to drop, which leaves you yearning for processed carbohydrates and sweets. w Be selective about the carbohydrates you eat. Avoid nutrient-stripped foods made of white flour, white rice, refined sugar and highly concentrated sweeteners. Have food rich in fiber such as fresh vegetables and fruits, which level off blood sugar. w Don't skimp on protein to make room for large amounts of carbohydrates. Protein gives the body extended energy, helps balance blood sugar and keeps cravings at bay. w Limit your intake of alcohol, fruit juice and caffeinated drinks. These cause abrupt blood-sugar highs followed by lows, leaving you starved for energy. w Avoid eating in response to stress and emotions. Before giving in ask yourself if you are really hungry or if you are eating to soothe a mood. If you are not physically hungry, then find a non-food outlet for your emotions, such as calling a friend, listening to music, or taking a walk. w Avoid becoming famished while traveling. Carry protein-rich snacks such as nuts, hard-boiled eggs or nutrient-balanced energy bars. w Get enough sleep. When the body and mind are well rested, cravings for carbohydrates often vanish. w Drink plenty of water. Often a desire for sweets is actually the signal that the body needs fluids. w Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen, supper like a pauper. Eating 70 per cent of your calories before 6 pm will also help decrease your cravings for sweets. w Savour the flavor. When you choose to eat a cookie or a Hershey's kiss, try chewing it for 10 minutes instead of 20 seconds. w Cut out all sweets for a week. You might find that cravings will dwindle or even vanish. Challenge yourself. w Watch the negative self-talk. Think positive. w Stop denying yourself your favorite foods. Stop obsessing over food or your weight. Dieting and restricting favorite foods only lead to more wanting and eventually overeating. Eat in moderation. w Eat small portions of seasonal goodies after protein-containing meals or snacks, if at all. If you eat sweets on an empty stomach, you'll experience blood-sugar lows that trigger the desire for more sweets. w Identify your trigger foods. Plan ahead when you anticipate situations that will tempt you. Keep a cravings journal and write down the time of day and the circumstances as well as your mood that ignited a craving. Then develop a plan to appease the craving while nourishing your mood and health. w Wait for at least 15 minutes before giving in to a craving. w Avoid eating before going to bed. If your body's busy digesting when it requires much needed rest, you'll require more sleep, dream excessively and find it difficult awakening with alertness. Good deep sleep will result in wide-awake days. Eating to close to bedtime results in a craving for sugar (or caffeine) the following morning. Eat a light evening dinner at least two to three hours before retiring. (kalrasachin@hotmail.com)
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Well, the young lady, who is also the vice- president of the club was the only women participant of the rally. She was driving the 1936 Dodge. Ask her about her experience and she can't stop raving about the fun she had. "It has no power brakes and power steering. I have to use the power of my arms to drive the giant car," she quips. Sherry drives a Mercedes otherwise but vintage are a different league. "It is exciting to see people looking at you with curiosity.”
This man left us surprised when he told us that he owns six vintage and classic cars. His love for these models developed when his father gifted him a Citron 1938 four years back. "Just like have hobbies like stamp or coin collection, I love to restore old cars," says Jaswant. And how tough is it to nurture this hobby, "These cars require a lot of maintenance. You have to drive them carefully at a given speed to avoid any wear and tear." 
THE two of the biggest Bollywood stars will be seen sharing screen space again. Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan will play cameos in Vivek Sharma's forthcoming film Kal Kisne Dekha.
CHRISTINA Aguilera has encouraged fans to head towards the US polling stations for the upcoming Presidential elections. The American pop and R&B singer showed up at the 'Rock The Vote' party to encourage the public to voice their opinion in the political ballot. "Everyone that is able to have an opinion should let it be heard and should voice it," the singer said.
AFTER winning accolades for her role in Bridget Jones's Diary, Oscar-winning actress Renee Zellweger is set to play another luckless singleton in an adaptation of racy writer Kathy Lette's new novel. The American actress, who is admired for doing perfect British accents, will star in the racy writer's To Love, Honour And Betray (Till Divorce Do Us Part).
POPSTAR Kylie Minogue is penning a West End musical around her greatest hits. The singer, who has hinted that the musical will be a treat for the eyes, is co-writing it with Aussie novelist and pal Kathy Lette. Kylie's sister Danni Minogue is also helping in the project. The team is hoping that the musical will be made into a movie.
"GONE are the days when the vocal music was considered to be endowed with a far reaching status than the instrumental music. The pioneering efforts of the great maestros Pandit Ravi Shanker , Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Zakir Hussain and others have taken the instrumental genre to spectacular heights of popularity the world over," says the Kolkatta based percussion virtuoso, Rimpa Siva, known as the 'princess of tabla'. In city on the invitation of NZCC and Haryana Institute of Fine Arts (HIFA) for a performance she shared her crowning glories at the national and international level.
The carbohydrate craving can be described as a compelling hunger, or desire for carbohydrate-rich food. High-sugar, refined starch, convenience and comfort foods are like an addiction. They increase both blood sugar and insulin level. The high sugar gives us a blast of energy, but it's followed by a crash. The dropping of blood sugar level leaves us feeling chronically exhausted. An increase in insulin level also lead to more cravings leading to extra fat storage. The craving and the appeasing of it is a vicious, never-ending cycle, one that feeds on itself over and over.