Autograph please! The crazy paparazzi, shrieking fans, the red carpet…it's an 'up above the world so high' phenomenon. The higher the heights, the steeper the fall and when the arch lights fade away, only then the 'reality' dawns…And, when it does dawn, does it bring along the sulk and suffer syndrome?

The participants are yet to narrate the 'When I signed my first autograph' joy and at the snap of a finger, blink of an eye, they are recovering from 'I was once famous' truth.

What happens when the red carpet becomes slippery? The fragments of reality television fame have taken off the gown, removed the make-up and are back to living their lives.

"Do you know the worst part of being on a reality show?" Stutee Nag of Splitsvilla-II fame questions. "That, at the end of the day, you're neither a star nor can you go back to doing daily chores or living a normal life," adds the Panjab University law student, who still draws prying eyes whenever she goes to buy a packet of Maggie in the neighbourhood market.

So, life's not normal, as of now. "Nor do I expect it to be for another one year. Before going on the show, it was a desire to be famous and all that, but now even if people stop recognising me, I'll be happy only as I'm a very content person."

But isn't it a fortnight of extreme fame, a spell of sudden fluctuation and suddenly down in the dumps? Extreme situations also call for extreme reactions. "Whenever we look at reality shows now, it's like, Oh my God! Even we were there once," laughs Jashanpreet Singh, currently pursuing LLB from PU, one of 'the couples' in Aaja Maahi Vay, a dance reality show on Star Plus. Similarly, it's not yet complete anonymity. "At that time, people not just here in Chandigarh but even in Mumbai, recognised us on the streets. Now too, some people tweak their eyes a bit on spotting us." By us, he means Tahira Bhasin as well, his partner at the show. The girl is pursuing a master degree from the School of Communication Studies, Panjab University.

But the journey from the green room to classroom was neither easy nor an aspiring one. Says Jashanpreet, "Honestly speaking, initially we were crying. But now, it's kind of fine. We've settled down and adjusted." Agrees Tahira, "It felt a bit awkward in the beginning. But it was never depressing, though getting back to books is not that exciting. But now I like the life of university as well."

So, what now? Giving it all up or pursuing it with more vigour to gain the stardom back? "Plans of being a lawyer? Nah! I'm going to be in the dance industry only and for sure, may be a choreographer," shrugs Jashanpreet. Though Stutee has her route mapped out, "I don't think I'm getting back to all that again. I'm preparing for GMAT and will be going to the US for higher studies."

Eventually, it's a question like any other, of preference and priorities. Opines Varun Saini, of Roadies and Spiltsvilla fame, "I don't know about other contestants, but I've seen this industry back to back for two years. It might appear 'wow' but only later you realise the amount of struggle involved and how ugly the scene can get." He adds, "Whosoever wants fame badly, can stay back. I, being the only son in the family, anyways had to come and join my dad's business." Shrugs Tahira, "The audition, selection, being on the show, it all happened suddenly. We, anyways, had to come back and finish our graduation. Such careers are generally short lived and completing studies is a must." Did you hear, completing studies is a must? Hope the million 'I wanna be on TV souls' are paying attention.

manpriya@tribunemail.com

List some of the major inventions we can't do without-Edison's bulb, Graham Bell's telephone, Franklin's electricity, that's not all, there are many more and the sole reason they skipped a mention in any of the general knowledge books is, we took them too causally. We tried to dig out some that would matter the most to Punjabis and guess what we found them most inquisitive about-inventor of Dal Makhani, Tandoori chicken, Lahori kebab, Sarson ka saag, Pindi chana... Hey, the recipes just didn't fall from heaven! Though we failed to find out the exact names behind these dishes and cursed the people who didn't register them then, we genuinely thought let's not commit the mistake again. So, we get talking to the chefs, and ask them the process of experimenting, inventing recipes and why they offer us a new platter every now and then.

"Introducing a couple of new recipes every week requires patience and passion for cooking. A new recipe undergoes many trials till we don't get the perfect flavour, taste and colour that we are aiming for and the oil content is just right," informs Neeraj Chaudhary, executive chef, Taj-17. Well, it takes them from two days to over a week to finalise one recipe.

In the beginning of every month, an in-house competition is held among all the chefs at Taj. "Every chef has to prepare a new dish based on a theme, that can be colour or ingredient for the competition. The best of the dishes are further improvised upon and served to guests," adds Neeraj. But, any dish finds a mention in the main menu only after its positive feedback from the guests.

Well-travelled guests are another reason why restaurants are introducing new dishes. The guests inform them about the food they tasted at different parts of the world and request them to prepare the same. "We prepare such dishes and also render it a local flavour, which is indispensable", says Vijay Sharma, corporate executive chef, Mountview. He refers to a psychological factor for not stringently sticking to the authenticity of the dish, "Punjabis by the end of the day tend to get back to their roots and prefer to have nothing else than the local cuisine. The dish is customised to make people incorporate it in their traditional food choice." Here, every newfound dish is offered as a specialty and is included in the day's buffet to get immediate response from people.

Also recipes in tandem with the existing fashion make it to the menu. Neeraj adds, "In summers, people prefer salads and lighter food and in winters the inclination switches to fried, warm dishes. Health food is another craze with people. These all are the deciding factors as to what kind of new dishes should be invented." Same is the cause why chefs at Mountview, conceived the idea of Lapeta Kebab, which is minced chicken cooked in less oil or of boiled chicken salad served with leafy vegetables.

With the availability of same vegetables, spices and raw material, it's a challenge to come up with new recipes very frequently. Vineet Chopra, chef, Shivalik View-17 asserts they still manage, "Different permutations and combinations comes to aid. As an example, we combined chicken keema and seekh kebab to make donali kebab, one of the most sort after dishes at the restaurant. We recently invented kathal kebab just to give vegetarians a fair idea how chicken kebab tastes like."

Experimenting with different international and regional cuisines result in new dishes as well. Sooraj Joshi, executive chef, AB's-26 says, "When you can't do much with the available raw material, garnish the same with different sauces for a different flavour." The restaurant serves a 'chef special' almost everyday to bring in the expertise of the chef. "Recipes are invented to make people develop a new taste, which probably might become the reason for the client to dine here again. Of all the reasons, recipes are invented to excel in the tough competition." That's a practical thought!

ashima@tribunemail.com

Before we start with this week’s discussion, here’s a little piece of information. The suicide rate amongst married men in India is much higher than that of married women. The number of employed men in public as well as private sector has dropped by 1.4 million this year, more than 82 per cent taxes earned by the Indian Government from men. But in past 60 years, the funds allocated in the Budget for men’s welfare has been zero. Every day more than 192 men end their life compared to 112 women as per Crime Bureau reports. According to a report and survey conducted by the Save India family, an organisation working for men welfare, on an average 32 percent males feel economically abused, 22 per cent emotionally abused and the rest comes under physical and social abuse.

But the point of focus is that every eight-minute one Indian man ends his life and the chances are 200 per cent higher after marriage. And, this is where domestic violence or marital harassment comes into the picture. Domestic violence, often a term associated and empathised with women, acquires a new meaning in men’s world. In the name of women empowerment, the law seems to have created a monster that wrongly, heavily, arbitrarily is biased.

“Talking about gender equality, by generalising any situation, gender or community, the law has totally failed to balance the process of justice, especially, in case of marital conflicts. In fact, by favouring women, the ease of law has promoted this kind of legal terrorism against men,” feels Anant, a 32-year-old professional in the city, who has been a victim of harassment by his estranged wife and has been suffering under its effects from the past six years.

And the most easy tools of this legal terrorism are Sections 304B, 498 (dowry harassment to wife) and 406 (ethical breach of trust) of IPC and Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Act passed in 2006. “Even a verbal complaint by a woman is enough to have the case registered and start a trial. Another loose end is the law that provides woman the protection to reside in her in-laws’ home and in case of resistance, on the sole testimony of the ‘aggrieved’, the entire family can be put behind bars,” briefs Anant. Well, with fake cases being reported every now and then, we wonder who the ‘aggrieved’ is? Though, of late, the investigative agencies have realised the need to complete the investigation before making arrests against any complaint.

A lot of men hesitate to come out and fight such cases because of the protection provided by the judiciary and investigative systems to women. “Nobody is ready to hear a man’s side of the story, instead they hold him guilty even before the trial starts. Even the battle in court ends up in mutual compromise on paper where you end up giving money to settle the matter. And, it is not just one man, but the entire family has to suffer,” says a 36-year -old doctor, another such victim from the city. Adding to the list is another one — a woman had filed a case of violence against her in-laws who were living in New Zealand while the couple lived in Canada. But sadly, our investigation system failed to notice the point.

Going by the profiles of such cases, the targeted ones are mostly from the upper strata. “Which is an important point. Women empowerment is becoming wife empowerment. And economic harassment is the big factor. A rickshaw pullers’ wife will never put a case against him as there is no money to extract or property to claim,” says Manish Tewari, a young law practitioner. And, about the emotional and mental harassment, well, “I have lost past six years of my life because of a fake case, my father committed suicide because of the harassment and I had to lose my job,” says Anant.

While several organisations like the Save India Family and All-India Rational Activist, active in Punjab, the solution doesn’t seem clear. “We have over 30,000 members and our only agenda is to fight it out,” says Anant, who is an active member too. But there are questions that are still left, in a hope to find some answers.

Is there any law as per the definition of ‘Domestic violence against Men’ by the Indian Government? Is there any protection or law for Indian men, who face domestic violence? Even with women bodies like the National Commission for women, there is a provision for a daughter-in-law to file a complaint but why not a mother-in-law or a sister-in-law, who can be implicated in false case?

nehawalia@tribunemail.som

Adolescents who engage in dangerous behaviour may be a sign of more mature brains, says a new study. The brain goes through a course of maturation during adolescence and does not reach its adult form until the mid-twenties.

Emory University neuroscientists used a form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to measure structural changes in brain’s white matter and probe the link between high risk taking and cerebral development. A long-standing theory has assumed that delayed brain maturation triggers impulsive and dangerous decisions in adolescence. The new study calls into question this theory.

“We were surprised to discover that risk-taking was associated with more highly-developed white matter — a more mature brain,” says Berns. He suggests that doing adult-like activities requires sophisticated skills. were measured by a survey that included questions about the teens’ thrill seeking behaviours, reckless behaviours, rebellious behaviours and antisocial behaviours. — IANS

Love stories happen, love at first sight to love at first fight. Love at the railway station, airport, and cycle stand. Love while you were sleeping, love after you’re dead. Sleepless in Seattle makes you lose sleep in Mumbai or Gorakhpur even. I know people who started checking their mails regularly, in some false hope, after watching The Notebook. More so, writing down the romantic one liners like, “I think our love can do anything we want it to” or “Before I met you it was like I was sleepwalking!” to dedicate them on those To-my-Sweetheart cards on those ‘special’ occasions. I have lost count of how many best friend pacts I had to witness after My Best Friend’s Wedding.

C’mon. With all due respect towards this genre, the feel good, sunshine, all’s-well-in-the-end romantic comedies are not made for the real world. In fact, they are highly depressing, not that I just wanted to say this but proven by some like-minded geniuses who call it the Notting Hill effect. Oh, how can we forget the mother of all the misguidance? Now, in which world can a famous movie star fall for a guy selling encyclopedias? If that could happen, the a Jagan Makheja can be a prospect for Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukerji may read like Rani Manu Bhai Shah, wife of Shah Sweets and Bakeries owner.

The whole point is that this harmless entertainment does more harm than we could ever think. They raise our faith in destiny and ‘made for each other’ expecttions from our relationships. Perfect relationships don’t happen instantly, and nor does a piece of currency becomes the only tool to find the One. While we cry our heart out and almost dry our tearglands, watching the chance encounters, fate bringing two souls together, the painful seapration and the happy endings, we know we are not thinking straight there on…

Seriously, when does one date a prostitute? Or, fall in love with a girl who is not even there (Shallow Hal) or fall for a ghost, even if it is Reese Witherspoon? In real life, these people would be considered legitimately mentally ill. Forgetting a birthday becomes an indicative of a larger sign or the conflicts, usually misunderstandings that clear out just before the girl is getting married to some one else. Imagine if that happened in real life, groom-dumping would become a national rage.

It’s not about being killjoys or pessimistic, but the idea of love is complicated enough to make us believe in perfect endings. We know that in real life, when Harry Met Sally (the Bollywood version being Hum Tum), they would have ended up raising families with two different people in two different parts of the world. Or, if there was something about Mary, then that’s her headache. While we respect all the Bridget Jones’ and Elizabeth Bennets of the romantic world, we know that they will not come to our rescue once our Darcy turns out to be our worst nightmare. Love actually turns into love that never happened actually!

Eros International with Aplomb Motion Pictures and H&H productions released the music album of their forthcoming romantic saga Heer Ranjha at Fame Cinemas, Panchkula. Present at the function were the key cast and crew of the film including singer and actor Harbhajan Mann (Ranjha), Neeru Bajwa (Heer) along with Guggu Gill, Jasbir Jassi, Mickey Duhra, Gurchet Chitrakar, Shawinder Mahal. Also present at the music release were the producers of Heer Ranjha – Gulzar Inder Chahal and Apinder Grewal, director Harjit Singh, lyricist Babu Singh Mann and music director Gurmeet Singh.

Scheduled to release worldwide on October 2, Harbhajan Mann and Neeru Bajwa play the lead actors in the movie and team up once again after Dil Apna Punjabi.

Speaking at the occasion, Harbhajan Mann says, “I am looking forward to the release of Heer Ranjha and eagerly awaiting the response of my fans and audience to the music that is now available across all the music stores. The music of the film has been bound together through strong melodies to suit the feel and look of the film. Every song beautifully portrays the theme of the film and we are extremely proud of the effort”.

The movie would also release in countries like Hong Kong, New Zealand, Dubai and Pakistan. 

The sound track of the Heer Ranjha has been composed by Gurmeet Singh and features an array of eclectic singers like Pakistani legendary singer Janaab Shaukat Ali, Harbhajan Mann, Jasbir Jassi, Gursewak Mann, Minu Sharma, Sujata, Kalpana, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shweta Pandit and Akriti Kakkar.

It all started with Mrs Singh, an old widow living alone, falling in love with this cute ball of golden fur, a male Golden Retriever pup. It grew and grew and GREW and finally on attaining its full size made it impossible for the old lady to take it out with her on her otherwise salubrious morning walks. They soon degenerated into lugging tournaments, which left her sore and breathless. In desperation, she had to give the dog away. An example that goes to show why one has to be extra careful while choosing a pet.  I order to enjoy the companionship of a good pet and to reap the full benefits of animal companionship it is vital that the pet you choose is compatible with the demands of your lifestyle, your physical status and environment. After all, you are choosing a companion for it’s full lifetime, which may stretch up to 15 to 20 years and may be 30 in case of birds.

If you like it indoors then choose the pets which are happy inside the house with you. A cuddlesome cat, fish in the aquarium or even a bunny rabbit fit the bill. But if you are an outdoor type, then a dog may be the right choice for you. Dogs thrive on outdoor activities. In families with small kids and old adults, the size and energy level of the pet must be kept in mind. Large breeds might cause accidents. If you like your home to be a neat and tidy place without a speck of dirt or a follicle of the fallen hair, then confined pets like fish or birds suit you more than dogs or cats.

In India, dogs are the most common household pets and come in a mind-boggling variety of breeds. So, how to choose a breed suited to you? German Shepherds and Poodles constitute breeds, which are perennially in demand and also lately Pugs. But instead of going by the latest fad or the word of mouth it is always advisable to know the compatibility ‘happiness factor’ of the breed, which you are choosing with your own to make it a lasting relationship. Always keep in mind that the dogs were bred initially to serve particular purposes. So, German Shepherds are basically herding dogs which will thrive well on a farm with lots of animals. But in order for them to be compatible to an urban environment they require lots of exercise and some job to do. Non-sporting dogs like Poodles originally hunted truffles and cannot serve their original purpose. But they can become popular family companions if the levels of their energy and needs make a good match with those of the family members. 

With almost 150 breeds and also our own ‘desi kuttas’ and crossbreds, the choice becomes rather large and varied. But we can narrow it down to certain basic varieties and their peculiar traits, some of which are really interesting.

Red Tape, the apparel and footwear brand for men has now launched its Autumn/Winter Footwear Collection 2009 in India. Synonymous with hi-fashion and lifestyle, Red Tape offers over 200 different designs in a wide variety of looks from casual, leisure and formal footwear to über chic leisure outfits. With its new logo Red Tape has further undergone a fresher and more youthful makeover.

Underlining its commitment to providing the trendiest fashion wear in the market, Red Tape’s new collection of shoes and sandals is a statement in style offering premium comfort at the same time for the new-age metro-sexual men. The new collection boasts of extensive styling and Red Tape has worked minutely every detail in each of the new range starting from of the finest stitches to most modern cuts and extravagant designs that do not compromise on quality and comfort. The shoes come in full grain natural leather with direct injection PU sole and a comfort sock.

Semi-formal office and party wear range of shoes, come in natural leather with leather lining and sole.

Stylish and comfortable semi-casual slip on shoes this is for people who have flair for style and an ingrained need for comfort. A durable pair, it goes well with both casual denims as well as trousers.

As stylish and comfortable as the shoes, the sandals from the new collection are a must buy this festive season as they will team well with Indian ethnic outfit as well. Made from original full leather upper and lightweight durable PU soles, these sandals/slippers have been especially designed as comfortable all day casual wear for the new-age generation and young corporates. — TNS

Bollywood actor Rani Mukherji, who plays a sport-loving Sikh character in her upcoming movie Dil Bole Haddipa says she feels challenged when critics write her off.

"I feel challenged when detractors push me to an edge. When critics crush me, I bounce back," Rani said.

The actor was last seen in Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic opposite Saif Ali Khan in 2008, which tanked at the box office.

But the actor insists that Dil Bole Haddipa, which will mark her first release in a year, is not a "make or break" film of her career.

"Success and failure is not in my hands. I just want to enjoy my work as an actor," says Rani who has gone a compelete makeover for her role in the movie.

The actor says that since she was playing the role of an athlete, she decided to be fit.

"It was a demanding film because I was playing a boy as well as a cricketer. I underwent six months of training right from learning how to hold a bat. I have given my heart and soul to the film," says Rani, who plays Veera as well as Veer, a Sikh boy in the movie.

"I trained in Yoga, cardio, weight training which helped my skin to glow and my diet included oats, brown rice and jowar roti. I have lost 7 kg and am feeling good and physically fit. Now, I can pull off an action film," she said.

Talking about her upcoming movie, she says, "Its a vibrant and happy film. I have ensured that my Sikh character is not a caricature. Veer is an very interesting role and close to my heart," Rani said adding it felt strange for her to look at herself as a man.

She says there is no similarity between Veera and Babli from her earlier movie Bunty aur Babli except that they both hail from small town. The actor has been dogged with continuous rumours about her marriage and working only for Yash Raj banner but Rani says, "I respect my privacy. This does not mean that my detractors continue to run me down and make me a person which I am not." The actor, who has delivered hits like Saathiya, Bunti Aur Babli, Veer-Zaara, Black and Hum Tum in the past, now wants to work with filmmakers like Vishal Bharadwaj and other prominent directors.

"I am waiting for good scripts and roles. But, unfortunately the roles which have come to me so far have not excited me enough," she says.

"The films I have rejected may have become superhits, but they would not have helped me as an actor. The filmmakers would have surely benefited by having me," she says.

When asked about she being paired opposite younger hero like Shahid Kapur, Rani says, "He is a very focussed actor and I like such artistes." — PTI

Filmmakers have once again started rolling their cameras and the valley is filled with the voices of 'cut' and 'action' now that the film industry has resumed its romance with Kashmir.

The land of breathtaking beauty with its snowcapped mountains, majestic Chinar trees and the beautiful Dal Lake, Kashmir was Bollywood's favourite setting for romances like Do Badan, Kashmir Ki Kali, Jab Jab Phool Khile, Aarzoo, Kabhi Kabhi and Bobby.

But it is not the mere beauty of the place that is luring the filmmakers back to the region after a gap of two decades. They want to depict its troubled past and the aspirations of the young generation, making Kashmir their latest muse.

Movies like Yahaan, Shaurya, Tahaan, recently released Sikander and national-award winning filmmaker Rahul Dholakia's upcoming Lamhaa indicate that filmmakers are looking towards Kashmir with a renewed interest.

"Kashmir is a beautiful place and no one can dispute that but I think there is more to the place than its beauty only. Kashmir has a history and it is time that it reflected in our cinema," Dholakia, who has directed Lamhaa said.

The film, starring Sanjay Dutt and Bipasha Basu, is a love story set in Kashmir and the director hopes that he will be able to dispel some of the stereotypes attached to the region and its people.

The Parzania director, who had a tough time shooting the movie in Kashmir after protests by local people, had extensively researched about Kashmir before making it the setting of his film.

"It is a great place and people are nice. Yes, there were certain problems but I would love to shoot there again," said Dholakia.

Bipasha, who plays the role of a Kashmiri woman in the movie, believes that the film can not be branded as an "art" movie just because it is about Kashmir.

"It is commercial film it cannot be branded as an art film. It is the story of Kashmiri people, their problems and their challenges and my role is very dear to me," she said.

Director Piyush Jha, who shot Sikandar in Kashmir's Pahalgam, Uri and Anantnag areas, said, "I set the story in Kashmir because of the visual metaphor. I strived to contrast the beauty of 'Mother Nature' against the cruelty of human nature."

Actor Sanjay Suri, a native of Kashmir, who visited the place after a gap of 18 years while shooting for the movie, believes that Bollywood is yet to come out with a story about the valley.

"The kind of films that are being shot today should have been made 15 years back. I don't think Kashmir problem has been explored properly in Bollywood. There have been so many movies on Gujarat riots but there is not a single movie which explores about what happened in Kashmir during the militancy.

"A lot has happened in the last 20 years, the place is still beautiful but the colour has gone," Suri said.

In the past few years, films like Mission Kashmir (2000), Yahaan (2005) and Santosh Sivan's Tahaan (2008) have tried to portray the problems faced by the Kashmiris.

Sivan, a celebrated cinematographer, who had captured Kashmir in Mani Ratnam's Roja in 1992, returned to the valley as a director to shoot his fabled story about a young boy and his struggle to reunite with his beloved donkey.

The film tried to look at some of the serious issues plaguing Kashmir through the eyes of an 11-year-old child, whose life seems normal on the surface but is not devoid of the bitter realities of his birthplace.

Actor R Madhavan, who played a kind-hearted army officer posted in Kashmir in Sikandar, feels that Kashmir should not be looked upon as unsafe anymore.

"They (Kashmiri people) are yearning for normalcy, which is sad because the common man is not a militant and it doesn't matter to him who is ruling. He wants to live life, earn his livelihood and make sure his future generation is safe and sound," the actor said. — PTI

The Kolkata Fashion Week-II, beginning Wednesday, received a jolt Tuesday with title sponsor Emami pulling out over contractual issues.

"There were some contractual things, which they wanted us to do but we could not agree," event promoters Mindscapes Maestros managing director Yudhajit Dutta, said.

"So Emami said they will not be there in this edition of KFW," he said.

Dutta said they were not scouting for some other title sponsors. "We will go ahead without any title sponsors this time."

The KFW-II has Earth Couture as the theme celebrating India's ethnic roots, in view of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation declaring 2009 as "The International Year of Natural Fibre".

Star cricketer Virender Sehwag, sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and film actresses Rituparna Sengupata and Sameera Reddy would be among the showstoppers at the five-day event concluding September 13. — IANS