Creating frenzy, stirring emotions, moistening eyes and making waves, that's what the news of Michael Jackson's death did to all music lovers world over. Sticking to the television screens, glued to Internet, the world missed its heartbeat as the news flashed the screens-'King of Pop dies at 50'. And what followed was unlimited rush of SMSes-that spelt broken hearts and wet eyes.

For Bollywood singer Madhushree, it was unbelievable. "I still cannot believe he is no more. It's a big loss for the music industry," she says. Adding, "He was the King of Pop. No one in the world has had so much of fan following. He was known by all and whatever he did started a trend and mind you, his fame was at its zenith in the 80s and 90s when we didn't even have the web technology like today." That so true!

Seventh child of his parents, Michael started singing at the age of 11 and rose to the position of the King of Pop. True to his name, his presence was felt across the globe. Agrees Madhushree, "There have been so many singers but none like MJ. He was a brilliant singer, amazing dancer and mind-boggling performer. There can be none like him."

For VJ Ayushmaan Khurana, MJ was the only credible performer in the history of music. "I grew up listening to Michael Jackson, though he became a passé for today's generation, I was looking forward to his comeback. He'll remain immortal for all the music lovers and dancers world over."

He adds, "Today we have umpteen number of singers, but for our generation Michael was the guy. It's difficult that world can ever have a singer and performer like him." Talk about Indian music industry, and he says, "Eighties and 90s music was definitely inspired by MJ, Govinda copied his dance movements and at dance shows, we still see kids performing on his numbers."

Heartbroken and with tears in his eyes, Michelangelo Francis, an art teacher and a city-based singer, says, "It's a loss beyond words. And I believe there wont be a single music lover who hasn't listened to Michael's songs." Talk of MJ's relevance in today's time and he says, "Children still love his songs and my students are calling from world over and say they can't believe he is no more."

Remembering an incidence he says, "I still remember MJ's Mumbai tour and how I managed to save Rs 2,000 for his show. Though I couldn't even see him clearly, but the frenzy he created was beyond believe. I actually saw women fainting and men screaming."

Forlorn, Michel says, "He was supposed to do this 50-day tour and can you believe the show was already sold out. That's the fame of a star."

Well, for a generation, which has grown listening to his songs and danced to his tunes, who can forget the moon walk, long hair, trendy, ever-smiling King of Pop.

He probably has never had a competitor in life, for he has always looked at success as a fight between his own works. At the same time, resting on his own laurels has never given him pleasure. For the man who has brought in the 'real show' to the show industry, moving with the flow is not a necessity, neither an acquired art, but an acceptance that comes with over three decades of experience.

Subhash Ghai, the director, producer and writer has to enjoy something first to translate it into a film, which might not be able to sustain at the box office. Read Yaadein, Kisna. "It is part of the business. There are constant highs and lows," says Ghai, in the city for the auditions of Whistling Woods Actor Studio at Fun Cinemas.

Introducing pretty unknown faces, which have gone to become stars of the sky, exploring sensitive issues in films like Black and White, turning the national sport cricket into an easy to relate and digest movie Iqbal, going ga ga over family ties Yuvvraj, throwing in magnanimity in films, which look like a dream come true (Taal ) or sour, and not to miss the fixation for K (which he claims is medias fantasy) the showmans' catalogue has only expanded with time.

" I am the young boy of 2009. If you ask me to touch an old subject like Choli ke Peechey (Khalnayak), I wouldn't do it because it does not suit me now. Here, I deal with the youth everyday. I would want to make movies, which they can relate to easily, says Ghai, who does not believe in the word 'remake.' "I wouldn't ever do that. A remake would mean that there is nothing else left to achieve."

But for Subhash Ghai it is miles to go still. "Today, we are aping the western generation- everything is MTV style, everything is fast, which in a way is okay," says Ghai. "The new generation is good except for the fact that they don't know directions. They lack specialisation."

This is exactly what Whistling Woods would do. "For a course in fashion designing a youngster is ready to spend three years, but there is always a haste in becoming an actor. This is not done, puts in the director, who enjoys the role of the scriptwriter the most. Sir pey haath rakhney sey actor nahin bantey. You have to go through the grind." Didn't someone say — actors are not made in a day.

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Akshay Kumar believes in entertaining audiences even if his films come with an 'illogical' tag. He admits that his forthcoming Kambakkht Ishq belongs to the same category. "I don't want to get into logical films... I am happy doing films where one can keep discussions around logic at home," says Akshay Kumar. "I want people to come with their parents and children, munch popcorn while the movie plays, get entertained, have some nice lunch or dinner after the show ends and then go back home happy and smiling," he added.

"See, for so many Hollywood or Bollywood films out there, you don't ask around whether a particular scene or happening is possible or not. Look at James Bond movies - now don't we see so many illogical things out there? But we are fine and rightly so because these films eventually entertain. You don't search for logic there and in the same way, Kambakkht Ishq too is an illogical film", said Akshay.

Releasing July 3, the film, also starring Kareen Kapoor, was extensively shot in Hollywood.

"And I am extremely lucky to have found this opportunity for myself. You get to see and do so many big things in just one film. Where else would you otherwise get a chance to shoot in Kodak theatre? — IANS

As an era in pop music comes to an end with the sudden death of Michael Jackson, one of the Bollywood best choreographers Farah Khan remembers the 'King of Pop' as her guru. "I officially had no training in dance and whatever I learnt was from watching Michael Jackson by watching his videos, especially Thriller over and over again. I consider him as my guru," Farah said.

Jackson died Thursday in Los Angeles due to suspected cardiac arrest. He was 50.

Farah said that she heard the news today as she landed in Los Angeles to meet Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan who is shooting in LA for Karan Johar's My Name Is Khan.

"I have just landed here to meet Shahrukh. I reached in the hotel and got to know about the sad news. It has not sunk in yet. It is still to sink in that he is no more," Farah said.

Farah remembers the Thriller hitmaker as "one who revolutionised the way we look at dancing today" also recalled her encounter with the pop superstar in New York at a Bollywood awards night.

"I had a won an award at the ceremony and Michael Jackson was also getting an award for his humanitarian works.

The organisers knew how crazy I was for him so they did take me to backstage to meet him. I have a picture with him which I will cherish all my life. I told him that I am choreographer and that is just because of him," said Farah.

"I thought I would retire after I choreograph Michael Jackson," she added. — PTI

With the spurt of soul enriching activities in the realms of literature, music, theatre, films and Bollywood celebrities frequenting here, City Beautiful is no more a "pathron ka shehar " but really transformed as a cultural hub. Adding a new dimension to the composite city cultural, the Department of Tourism and STEPS of the Chandigarh Administration has for the first time ventured to hold a competition to pick up the "Voice of Chandigarh-2009".

After a series of auditions, which marked a close contest among 90 aspiring singers and nine music bands, three male and two female singers were crowned as winners and runner-up in the three categories in the age groups between 12-18 years 19 -25 years and 26 years onwards. They may be just your nextdoor neighbours. So meet the winners.

Sakshar Sharma, the winner (male) age group 12-18 years is a brilliant student and prodigious singer. Sakshar (15) with his aesthetic potential holds a future as a vocalist. A pride of DAV-8 School, Sakshar has already made up to the final of National Bal Shree Award-2007. Equally at ease with folk, film and semi classical music compositions his spiraling melodic phrases in a thumri "Saiyan mohe" was a treat to watch.

Guitarist and singer Tushar Bansal from GMSSS-35, scored second. Manjit Mahal, the winner in the female category come from a musical family of Maloya. Versatile Manjit ( 16) holds command of rendition of Gurbani and a regular performer teaming up with his father guru Raghubir Singh. Equally adept at ghazal singing, Punjabi folk and pop music, she has recorded two albums in duet with prominent singers. 

Kiran is the runner up in the category while the national Balshree awardee Urvi Minocha (12) put up a brave show . Azad Kumar, the winner in the male category (19-25 years) is a student of BA-II in GC-46. Azad (19) is learning Indian classical music under the tutelage of acclaimed music director Kanwar Iqbal and light music from Ustad Subhash Ghosh. 

He has displayed his musical caliber winning second spot in PU Inter-zonal youth fest and third slot in the national Jhankar Fest -2008. Vishal Taank a BA student from GC-46 remained a close runner-up. Bobby the winner in the female (19-25 years) is a resident of Dadumajra colony. 

Bobby(19) is BA(I) student at the GCG-11 and learns classical music from Prof. Murlidhar Soni and guru Sudama Ram. She had made up to the zonal final of Awaaz Punjab Di contest from the region.

Harsha, an accomplished singer dancer, was the runner up in this category. Alok Sharma the winner in the male (26 years and above) is a talented and versatile theatre actor, poet and singer. Alok Sharma (40) is a gifted musician without a formal training. 

Basically a ghazal singer, he took to other genres of light music finding encouragement from his employers AG Haryana for whom Alok had won many awards. He owes his success to his life partner Nisha Sharma.

What's common between a kindergarten class, a hi-end designer showroom and a library? Don't rake your neurons, here's the point- customised furniture. Be it institutions or designer retail outlets, if you want impressive clientele, you need impressive ambience.

And catering to the growing demand of customize furniture is BRV space, with launch of their new range of institutional and retail furniture line. "According to estimates, the customised furniture industry is expected to reach a growth of over 5000 crores in next five years. Keeping that in mind, we want to provide solutions to the institutional sector with a conventional approach but innovative designs as per individual requirement," said Rajiv Khanna, head, marketing & operations.

After making a mark in the retail sector with their multi brand outlets like Koutons, Big Bazaar, Ritu wears and others, BRV Space's focus is on capturing the educational industry. "Every product needs shelf and to create those shelves we need to create some exclusivity around it.

This area has seen a 100 per cent growth in the last decade, but still most of the institutional furniture is mundane, monotonous and high maintenance. We will offer sleek designs in glass, wood and steel," adds Rajiv. —Neha Walia

If in Punjab, one thing you can be sure of, no one can go hungry. For, this is the land of dudh, dahi and makhan. And talking about the most loved city of Punjab—Chandigarh, there is no dearth of food and restaurants here, but what we are looking at is the ubiquitous dhaba, and our city has no dearth.

This week we feature a 30-year-old dhaba—Nagpal Dhaba-22; that dishes up the most flavoursome Dal Handi and fragrant food at the humblest of prices.

The association of beer and human goes back to as far as cultivation of crops. And for beer lovers, the launch of five new flavours is more than good news. It was on Thursday evening that TVB Craft Brewing Company announced the launch of Little Devils craft beer.

Available in five flavors of beers and ales we ask, what differentiates the Little Devil’s Beer & Ales from the typical light mass-market lager style of beers. “The difference is simply in the superior taste and aromas due to increased percentage of specialty malt, hops and other ingredients.

These ingredients give the beers and ales a fuller, more complex flavour and aroma that can remind you of banana, citrus fruits, flowers or herbs. Depending on which flavour you drink you can also smell all sorts of aroma’s like caramel, coffee, honey or freshly baked cookies — all pleasantly sweet notes contributed by the skillful selection of specialty toasted and roasted malted barley,” says Habeeb Kamaal, CEO TVB Group India.

Ash him about the five flavours and he says, “First we have introduced the wheat beer, it is low in bitterness and come in light fruity flavours. Then we have the Premium Lager, Indian Pale Ale, this beer compliments the spicy cuisine of India and is a perfect match that makes your taste buds dance and cuts through the oils and fats to refresh your palate, Golden Ale that has the honey, orange zest and green apple flavor and the last is the premium stronger.”

Well, that was about the drink, but is beer a summer drink? “Beer is served chilled and that is why people relate it to summers. Otherwise, beer is not a summer drink alone. It is much liked in Canada and Germany that have sub zero temperatures.” Hmm… that clears the fact that summer and beer is not synonymous. — Jigyasa Kapoor Chimra

Think Punjab and you are sure not to go hungry. For, this is the land of plenty, especially when it comes to food. And believe us, this baking summer is no deterrent for the foodies as they live to eat. And targeting the Punjabi clientele, is Moti Mahal-17; that gets for you a 10-day Punjabi food festival.

Serving the authentic Punjabi food to whet you appetite is khana tadka mar ke, in true Punjabi style.

To beat the heat, you can start with the all-time favourite shikanjvi or lassi and then go on to take a bite of all-so-famous Lawrence ke tawa ke tikka (an Amritsar specialty), lahori seekh mutton or bhuni chaat. Well, if you are wondering what is a bhuni chaat, then this is a special chaat that is made on a tawa. Sounds interesting!

For the main course, they have a variety to choose from. But you can try libdya murg, tari wala meat, champen, paneer mattar ki bhurji, chole dal with giya and but of course the much-liked mah channe ki dal. On till July 5.