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Star gazing
Shooting kahan ho raahi hai. My friend asked a group of truckwallas sitting outside a local grocery shop at Mullanpur. Kaun si, one of them eagerly stepped forward. London Dreams ki, she shot back at the guy. Woh to pata nahin. Agar apko bhai ki shooting par jaana haai to woh agley moud par hai. Bhai!!! Now, which bhai is shooting here? Dawoood or chota Shakeel. We didn't know Vipul Shah's London Dreams has some bhai. May be some new kid making a debut. The contemplations lead us to a labyrinth lane thronged with people. It has to be here. As we made our way through the crowd, which we somehow managed to, thanks to our western outfit, and cool accessories we could see another set of people busy in the real sense. London Dreams ki shooting chal rahi hai, tells an onlooker to another. Aur woh dekh bhai. Our eyes abruptly turned towards where his finger was pointed. A medium height guy, wearing kurta and parna was making a 'fake' call at a fake STD booth. He was doing some balley balley and some similarly attired boys, standing outside the STD Booth were teasing him. Who is this man? Experience tells us it has to be the actor of the movie and this is some scene being shot. Cut, came the voice. The man inside the booth opened the door and came out. And look what we have here. It is the deadly, the macho, the controversial, the infamous, the almond eyed, the handsome, one and only bhai, Sallu Bhai. Yes, this is Salman Khan. The crowd breaks into frenzy. Salman, sallu, Oye Salman, everyone in the crowd wanted him to look at him or her, just once. But, no one dare come close. You never know when he can get nasty. No, he wouldn't, something in me said. That warm smile, that childlike innocent, is he the famous controversial man. I choose to believe that people know nothing of him. This is our Maine Pyar Kiya ka Prem, and he knows only Prem. The king walks his way through the cheering crowd, waving at them, only to look at the crowd once or twice. The crowd follows him, lest he decides to change his mind, stop and give a cheer, a hoot or maybe throw a flying kiss at them. But miracles don't happen always. Left after the ruckus, where other actors, and then the crowd turned their focus on a plump looking, man. Arrey yeh Bhambra hai Sea Hawks (a tele-serial) walla. This man is accessible, warm and shows interest in talking. The man is Manoj Pahwa, the known face from Tum Bin, Singh is Kinng, and serials like Just Mohabbat and Office Office. "I am doing a small cameo in this movie. I play the owner of the STD booth, which Salman uses often. He makes an international call to his friend and leaves without paying the money," says Manoj Pahwa. Money sure is an important thing. Would that be a reason to join the industry? "We had an auto business in Delhi. But I was doing active theatre and one day I just decided to move to Mumbai with my family. And yes, money was important to support my family. So, I took up all kinds of work that came across, tells Manoj, who is also working in couple of projects, Wanted Dead or Alive, Aloo Chat, Sankat City. "I did music videos, serials and eventually started doing movies. I wanted to act and that was important," says Manoj. A no fuss man Manoj says, "As I told you, I was never hungry for adulation or immediate success. Things fell in place and here I am. I am open to what life has to offer and each day passes with gods grace."
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Here comes the butterfly!
What happens when you ask a Femina Miss India Universe winner a regular question like, how has the experience changed your life? Well, you expect a regular answer like it has changed my life, with fame, glamour and well moolah as well. But this is what Simran Kaur Mundi, the Femina Miss India Universe, 2008, replied, "After the experience, I can now qualify to call myself a girl." Not that she didn't knew that part about herself earlier, but the whole process of participating and winning the crown turned this tomboy into a diva. "Femina Miss India was like a roller coaster ride. I still get goose bumps when I think about the moment I was announced the winner. But then that is the whole purpose, it makes a woman out of a girl," she says. In city to judge the contestants for the regional rounds of this year's contest, she was everything a Miss India is supposed to be, pretty, charming and poised. And so comes the next question, what did she look for as a judge? "These girls are very raw, they need grooming but they have the potential. Secondly, when it comes to modelling, you need to have the height. And last, you've got to have the presence of mind and the focus required to reach that level," she sums it up. Life after Miss Universe is going smooth for this Mumbai babe as she has her kitty full with ramp shows and endorsing designer labels. She says that she has no disappointment for not winning the title, "I have proved myself and achieved a status on the home front. Sure, who doesn't want to win? Miss Universe would have given me international fame, but no regrets," says the positive beauty. Though she is happy for her fellow beauty and Miss world runner up Parvathy Ommakuttam. "She is a very good friend and I feel so proud of her. Though she is a little disappointed for not winning and I too feel that she deserved to win the title but that doesn't underplay her performance," she says. And what about Parvathy's open display of disappointment when she accused the jury of being 'unfair'? "Look, one cannot comment on the decisions made as you do not know what was the criterion for the judgment," she plays safe. Another thing that she feels upbeat about is Indian model taking over the international ramp. "When you hear things like top Indian models opening shows in Paris or Milan fashion weeks, you get an out of this world feeling. The fact that Indian models are being recoginised in such manner is encouraging," she says. Well, and that too without their size zero status. "That depends on the kind of work you get. In some countries like US, they want models with size zero but in places like South Africa, more voluptuous bodies are required," she adds. Besides the glitz and glamour, her life is full of other rather interesting passions. This family oriented, simple girl is a dedicated animal lover. And her dedication meant having pets like dogs, ducks, hen and even a python. Talk of dangerous divas. And though she loves this profession she is also open to her own ideas. "I have an MBA degree, so I might end up opening a restaurant someday or a fashion store. I want to do something where my heart lies," she says. And what about following the tradition of joining Bollywood, "May be." With this short and very precise answer, she signed off. lifestyle@tribunemail.com
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Lost in translation
Hollywood's most famous Bond, Sean Connery believes that the language barrier between him and his French wife is the reason for their successful marriage. "I don't speak a word of French but often think that what should be a handicap is actually a godsend," the veteran actor said. Connery married Roquebrune in 1975 after a whirlwind romance. Connery said, "She may be half my size, but she's got a few snappy comebacks. We're total opposites - that's what has kept us together all these years." While playing James Bond, the actor was paired with some of the most glamorous women of all times including Ursula Andress and Jane Seymour. |
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A recent fight between Hollywood actor Lindsay Lohan and her DJ girlfriend Samantha Ronson has sparked rumours that the couple might call it splits. The volatile couple trashed their hotel room and then spilled out into the corridor after a hotel punch-up in front of horrified guests. Lohan, 22, was seen carrying a big bag out of their room after the row."The screams and crashing from their room were heard all over the hotel. They spilled out into the hallway at 11 a.m., kicking and punching each other. People were watching," said an official from the hotel. "Lindsay seemed unstable. At one point she dropped to her knees and cried, 'Why are you doing this to me?' Sam just said, 'I don't know you'. Security then split them up," the official added. A spokesperson for Lohan denied the split but confirmed that "there was an argument". —IANS
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Learning with L
Hollywood star Tom Cruise has credited his Scientology faith with helping him overcome dyslexia insisting he was illiterate until he followed the teachings of the controversial religion's founder L. Ron Hubbard. The actor struggled with literacy at school and resigned to the fact that he would struggle with reading and writing after he was diagnosed with the language-based disability aged seven.Cruise admits he walked away from school as an illiterate and blames the school system for the same. However, he states it was science-fiction writer Hubbard's methods of learning and the ideas behind Scientology that finally enabled him to get over his learning difficulties. "I asked myself if I was normal or an idiot. I would try to concentrate but I felt anxiety, frustration (and) boredom. When I graduated from high school in 1980, I was functionally illiterate," he said. "Nobody gave me a solution and I wanted to know why the system had failed. Finally, as an adult, I learned to read perfectly through the method of L. —IANS
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Hollywood actor Kate Hudson has revealed that during her teenage years she loved boys. "When I was a teenager, like, when I turned 16, I loved boys. That was just my thing," Kate was quoted as saying. "My mom [Goldie Hawn] was like, 'Oh boy, she loves boys!" Kate added. The stunner, who has dated many Hollywood celebrities, made it public that she was a serial dater and was never without a boyfriend until now. "First of all, I always had a boyfriend, this is the first time I've been single since I was 16!" Kate said. "I've been on so many bad dates. I went on one where I just left because he was so boring. I felt really bad, and I didn't want him to pay for dinner," Kate added. Kate revealed that she had her share of dud dates. "It's like, 'It's really nice to meet you' - moving on!" she says. "Then you call your friend and you're like, 'Really? Really? Is that who you think I would have a great night with?" Kate added. —ANI
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Dream catcher
Life today is full of struggle, strife and strenuous jobs making every one so career conscious as to cultivate compatible competence to meet it's growing challenges with unflinching zeal and cultured aptitude. It is obvious one goes for a professional career in engineering, medical, information and technology and alike. But unlike many friends of her age the vivacious, versatile and gifted Hina Rohtaki had only one aspiration-to become an able compeer and anchor, the dream she had been nursing since her very childhood. A blend of so many fine traits and tender graces, Hina Rohtaki, is an orator, amateur model, actor and an able anchor in the making. All these childhood qualities in her, which she inherited from her parents, foreshowed the coming glory. Her mother Paramjit Walia, a veteran Kathak maestro had learnt classical dance for five years under the tutelage of legendary Guru Birju Maharaj at Bharti Kala Kendra along with the likes of Shovana Narayan, Neelima and performed extensively. Her father Risal Rohtaki is a poet of Haryanvi contemporary poetry and a regular recitalist at the All India Radio. Hina seems to have inherited the aesthetic aptitude and finer nuances of eloquence and dance from her parents. Drawing inspiration from her parents Hina always emerged as a favourite to anchor all functions at her school and and now at college and corporate cultural shows. "Anchoring as a profession is exciting but equally challenging. One needs to have an amusing persona with a perfect body language, sharp memory, extempore speech capability very high confidence level and skill to maintain a lively rapport between the audience and performer," says Hina. " My passion for modelling, study of literature, command over language and above all valuable guidance by acclaimed broadcaster Vijay Vashisht of All India Radio have accounted for my whatever little I've made", says Hina. She summed up her triumphs and the resolute resolve through poet Bashir Badr's Urdu couplet " Jis din se chala hoon meri manzil pe nazar hai, Inn aankhon ne kabhi meel ka patthar nahin dekha" lifestyle@tribunemal.com
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Final Foursome
They are the final four. Well, so far. The short listed candidates of the Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2009, from the city, were revealed on Tuesday. From here, the girls qualify for the regional round and compete in Mumbai or New Delhi. They might not be spotting the final crown, but they certainly wear the 'Spotted for PFMI 2009, sache. Visible excited, the girls can't hold their emotions. Says Sejal Panwar, one of the four, "I didn't do much of preparation. It's all unexpected and too good to be true." She adds, "During auditions, I sang and they asked me to walk the ramp." Wait a minute. Doesn't it take months of preparation and hard work? Chips in Mallika Jolly, another finalist and B.Pharmacy student, "I came to know about the auditions a day before and just walked in. They asked me to dance and I chose the song Bidi Jali Le." But aren't they scared of the competition they will be facing now from other cities? Agrees Sejal, "Yes, I plan to join a gym and start with my workout and also work on communication skills." So what they think are the qualities a Miss India should possess? Says Mallika, "I think it's the looks, intelligence, IQ, body language. On the whole a complete package." For others it's the good habits and background that helped. As Bhavita Singh, another short listed girl, says, "I am a Mass Communication student, so I think that contributed with the communication part. My regular Yoga sessions too did me good." Those who thought qualifying meant being anorexic, reed thin and not eating. Read this. Says Rupan Bhullar, the final of the four, "They asked me to put on at least four kgs. They think I'm too thin." This dentist who had already applied for post graduation, plans to read more newspapers. Surely, all have a long way to go.
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Pet THEORY If you wonder why doesn't your dog listen to you. I suggest some tips to help you overcome the problem.
Establish communication
Talk to your dog as much as you can. When your dog first comes home it is as if he/she has been sent to a foreign country. Your "Hugo" knows no Hindi, English, Tamil, Punjabi etc. He must be taught what each word or phrase means, even their own name! Hugo does understand "dogspeak" - the tones and body language of canines. The easiest way to get a concept across to anyone (including a dog) is to speak to them in their own language. Since we are unable to bark, the best we can do is use our tone of voice to communicate our desires to our dogs early in our new relationship. With proper training techniques, dogs cannot only learn English, but whatever languages their owners use. Start with your tone of voice. Women have the easiest time with what I call the 'Good Boy' tone of voice - the one that is most often high pitched, soft, sweet, and generally in a falsetto. Men have the easiest time with the 'Very Bad' tone - the one that is deep but doesn't have to be stern, and sometimes gravelly. Men also have the easiest time with the command tone, the one that is neither good nor bad, but has a firm (usually lower) tone. Try telling your dog that he is bad using the 'Good Boy' tone; then try praising your dog using the 'Very Bad' tone. Watch your dog's reaction to each. Even if they understand some of the words, they generally react to the tone first. Many people have a difficult time getting their dogs to obey their command tone of voice. Often it is because they tell their dogs in the form of a question: "staaaaaayyyyy?" - with a voice rising at the end of the command. Remember, commands must be short, firm, and to the point, with the tone going down at the end, never letting the word drag on. Basic training
To start to teach your dog your language, you need to combine the words with an action that shows the dog what you want, and some reinforcement-either positive or negative. Say your dog's name. Does the dog respond (look at you, wag his tail, move toward you)? Your dog should always have a pleasant experience when he hears his name never an unpleasant one. Some people create a new 'Bad Dog' name to use for those bad dog times. To teach the dog his name, position your dog close enough to touch, preferably on a leash so he doesn't move away. Say the name cheerfully and give his ear a tug, or his leash a tug toward you, or move his muzzle in your direction. When the dog looks in your direction, immediately use your 'Good Boy' voice, give him a small piece of biscuit with your right hand and praise and stroke your dog on the head or chest. Repeat the voice Good Boy several times so that your Hugo understands the pitch of your voice. Practice this until looking at you happens without the tug and continue to practice for the dog's entire life! It reinforces the communication link between the owner and the dog. You can train your Hugo in two ways. One is signal and other is command and if you are right handed you can use this technique. Always keep the reward in your left hand but give him with your right hand. In this way you can teach your Hugo to concentrate on right hand. Now whenever you will call your dog by his name, he will concentrate at your right hand to take the biscuit and you can use your right hand to give him signal of the command. Mind it signal plays the most important role in the training of your HUGO. Teach other words the same way. Simple one word commands work best. Say the dog's name (to get his attention. Remember that communication link, follow with a command, signal and then show him what you want. Praise immediately when the action is completed and give him a small treat with your right hand- even if you made him do it! Eventually your dog will learn to respond to the command, but you should never forget to praise! shivkaushal@yahoo.com |
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Many of those whose birthday fell on January 6th had an additional reason to cheer. City based bakery Nik Bakers offered one kg free cake in their favourite flavour to all those lucky ones. Reason - it's proprietor Nikhil Mittal's birthday and his way of celebrating with all who share his birthday. That's not all, Nikhil hosted a party too, and it saw around 90 odd people wishing each other Happy Birthday. The youngest one to claim the cake was a year old child with his parents and the oldest, 85 years old woman whose birthday falls on the day. The day was cake filled for Nikhil as he started his day with presenting cake to inmates of Mother Teresa Charity home-23 and then Leprosy foundation. Also, he visited each of the Nik Bakers' outlets to celebrate by cutting a cake with staff and customers present. It's been the third year that Nikhil's been celebrating his birthday ever since he opened his outlet in Chandigarh in 2006. Going back in time he shares, "I started my career with Food Crafts Institute- 42 and went on to do a degree course in European Bakery and Food Technology from Australia. After three years of work experience there, I started to feel its time to get back home close to the family. I even felt that India offered better opportunities. I took the plunge and started my own concern with 10 people. By grace of god it clicked and now we are a strong 90 member team." — TNS
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Room of your own
Hostel rooms? Bet you are thinking of an abode of chaos, clutter and confusion. An image of six-by four cubical where one has to pick several things on the way in order to reach the bed! (which too in turn has not an inch of space where one can sit). A place where posters of rock stars with torn jeans are plastered on walls with equally torn plaster. Where articles like clothes, buckets, mugs share space with fruits, books and wallet, all in the same basket! You get the picture. Never ever does the stereotypical image get a bigger blow than when one enters the hostel and its rooms. For the rooms in Panjab University hostels can sure compete with presidential suits and deluxe rooms. And forget about the traditional ways of decoration, all the experimentation with interior designing starts right here.
Ekta Aggarwal, a zoology student from Savitri Bai Hostel, has donned hers with wallpapers, teddy bears, and posters. She says, "I like to have all sorts of different things in my room like bean bags, cushions, chimes. The idea is to make it look as homely as possible, without cluttering it." Richa Dhawan, of Kasturba hostel, rightly sums up importance of well-maintained ones. She laughs, "When we entered University, they resembled hospital rooms, till of course we made them livable. I love colours and so my pad reflects my personality." But if you thought one actually needed to spend a million bucks in order to make a room look like one. Think again. Manreet Kaur, an ex-student of P.U from Sarojini Hall, actually white washed all the walls herself, before moving in, to get the desired look. She recalls, "It was sheer fun. Very much like the tale from the Mark Twains novel since many of my friends actually joined and even begged me to let them do it. It made a lot of difference, since my room really stood apart from others." And yes guys too are not far behind. Lest you think it's a girlie thing. Sukrant Bhatia, from School of Communication Studies, Panjab University, has done up his room with matching curtains, linen, wallpaper and a carpet. He says, "Your living space is just an extension of your personality. Staying in hostel is no excuse for living in cluttered, unclean conditions." He further adds, "I don't think it's hip or cool to be messy or unorganised." Some food for thought. The guy surely believes in the mantra, wherever you stay, stay in style. Tempted? Get started because apart from dedication and passion, it takes hours long sessions of consultation, time and experimentation to get the desired results. But beware of one thing, your friends would look for excuses to enter your beautiful pad and wouldn't wanna leave. Don't say we didn't warn.
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University fortified
Almost half a dozen security guards adorning the entry gates, another half a dozen watching the peripheries, another bunch of policemen scattered around the area, watching every activity, CCTV cameras installed at every point and electronic gates that automatically lock the moment anybody tries to escape. No we are not at some intelligence headquarter or a secret underground laboratory or 10 Race Course. As much hypothetical as it may sound, we are talking about Panjab University. Yeah…the home of a species that is free spirited, uninhibited, high on some Punjabi flavoured fun. We might call them students but they know that life is beyond those bulky books and tacky theories. And until now, their true calling meant geris, sunglasses, eyecandies, elections and fist fights. But alas, gone are the days where being a student in Panjab University meant an experience worth relishing, now it just means living under a house arrest. For that seems to be the popular student sentiments after the administration decided to tighten things around in the name of security, to curb the increasing incidents of violence on campus. And so we have rules that are eating away the traditions set by the students of PU. First we had no vehicles at Student Centre (means no geris), no outsiders getting their easy way into the campus (means half of the student crowd is devoid of the essence of campus), Lyngdoh recommendations sucking the fun out of elections, and now the recent blow comes in the form of a new rule, being challaned on helmet less driving inside the campus. Talk of being a spoilsport, we mean for all those hardworking dudes who will be hair today (pun 100 per cent intended) but gone tomorrow! Now, didn't the administration for once think about the harm its going to cause to all the fashion conscious souls who put in a lot of effort to update us with the latest hairstyles which form an important tool for that first impression. What is a campus without a fashion facade? Our heart goes to all the guys who first had to sacrifice their cars, then their sluggers and now their most prized obsessions, their hair. Turning on the serious note, these regulations are welcomed as long as they are able to keep check on the aggression on campus. Student security is much needed and is a step in the right direction. But perhaps, it's all about old habits dying hard. lifestyle@tribunemail.com
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A team of astrophysicists has developed the first complete map of the Milky Way galaxy's four spiral arms. The new map was developed by Iowa State University's Martin Pohl, Peter Englmaier of the University of Zurich in Switzerland and Nicolai Bissantz of Ruhr-University in Bochum, Germany. As the sun and other stars revolve around the center of the Milky Way, researchers cannot see the spiral arms directly, but have to rely on indirect evidence to find them. In the visible light, the Milky Way appears as an irregular, densely populated strip of stars. Dark clouds of dust obscure the galaxy's central region; so it cannot be observed in visible light. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Cosmic Background Explorer satellite was able to map the Milky Way in infrared light using an instrument called the Diffuse IR Background Experiment. The infrared light makes the dust clouds almost fully transparent. Englmaier and Bissantz used the infrared data from the satellite to develop a kinematic model of gas flow in the inner galaxy. Pohl used the model to reconstruct the distribution of molecular gas in the galaxy, and that led to the researchers' map of the galaxy's spiral arms. The map shows that the inner part of the Milky Way has two prominent, symmetric spiral arms, which extend into the outer galaxy where they branch into four spiral arms. "For the first time, these arms are mapped over the entire Milky Way," said Pohl, an Iowa State associate professor of physics and astronomy. “The branching of two of the arms may explain why previous studies, using mainly the inner or mainly the outer galaxy, have found conflicting numbers of spiral arms," he added. In addition to the two main spiral arms in the inner galaxy, two weaker arms exist. These arms end about 10,000 light-years from the galaxy's center. One of these arms has been known for a long time, but has always been a mystery because of its large deviation from circular motion. The new model explains the deviation as a result of alternations to its orbit caused by the bar's gravitational pull. The other, symmetric arm on the far side of the galaxy was recently found in gas data. The discovery of this second arm was a great relief for Englmaier: "Finally, it is clear that our model assumption of symmetry was correct and the inner galaxy is indeed quite symmetric in structure," he said. —ANI
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First we went berserk asking for security. So in came the laws and restrictions. And the latest? No helmetless driving on the campus, unless you don't mind getting a ticket. We ask the youngsters, how are they receiving the rules. Let's what they have to say… Welcome change
Shelly
Aggarwal, Impractical rules
Navjot Sharma, Where's the freedom?
Robin
Brar, |
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More than half of teenagers mention risky behaviors such as sex and drugs on their MySpace accounts, US researchers said. Many young people who use social networking sites, do not realise how public they are and may be opening themselves to risks, but the sites may also offer a new way to identify and help troubled teens. "We found the majority of teenagers who have a MySpace account are displaying risky behaviors in a public way that is accessible to a general audience," said Dr Dimitri Christakis of Seattle Children's Research Institute. In one of two studies, Christakis and Dr Megan Moreno of the University of Wisconsin analyzed 500 randomly chosen MySpace profiles of 18-year-olds in 2007. Overall, 54 per cent of the publicly available accounts they checked contained information about high-risk behaviors: 41 per cent mentioned substance abuse, 24 per cent sexual behavior and 14 per cent violence. Christakis said many teens are unaware of how public and permanent Internet information can be, while parents often do not know what their kids are up to. In a second study, the researchers identified 190 individuals aged 18 to 20 whose MySpace accounts displayed multiple risky behaviors. Half were sent a message from 'Dr Meg'from Dr.Moreno's MySpace profile. The message warned about the risks of disclosing personal details online and offered a link to a site with information about testing for sexually transmitted diseases. Three months after this single message, many of the young people had withdrawn references to sex and substance abuse and tightened security controls. — Reuters
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Strictly speaking, I think these measures and curbs are in good stead. Why just helmetless driving, vehicles should be banned in PU campus altogether. Because in these vehicles only weapons are carried. Even in other campuses like Thapar University in Patiala, no conveyance is allowed in the campus. Absence of rules lends a certain frivolity to the environment, which is not good for any institution of learning. Students come here to study, so let's keep it that ways.
Honestly, I am not in favour of so many restrictions. For example, making the Stu-C a no vehicle zone has taken away all the charm and craze that the place since generations have been associated with. Now only those who want to have lunch and have no option will go there. As for the helmet rule, it's a little impractical to follow, because the students will have to keep and carry the helmet with them all the time. 
Frankly speaking, imposing rules one after the other has only added to the students inconvenience. Now if one has to move from library to hostel, one needs to carry a helmet, which is a little tedious. Even the making of Students Centre, a no vehicle zone, only added to the chaos at library parking. It's as if the whole charm and feel of being a student and on the campus has been taken away. Normally one associates university life with fun and frolic, which is not the case here.