Sing it, Punjabi ishtyle
Lyrics of some Punjabi songs might sound scandalising, but they are so much fun. Read on…
Manpriya Khurana

They're wild, wacky, and weird; revolve around jatt, jameen and jeep…whoo…Patiala peg and Punjabi lyrics! Where else can the words get as innovative as mittran da naa chalda? Which other culture brags about brawls? And loves taking pangas, doting on yaaris, and is attached to dunalis!

Photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Think Honey and Diljit Singh's, Gun rakhi di aa golian naal parr ke. So there you go, rotating the mob to extreme right and there's amplified dissection of Punjabi lyrics. By the way, does that remind of ni woofer tu meri meri, main tera amplifier…fier!

There it goes, invariable celebration of wine, women…oops…daru and mutiyar.

"These kind of lyrics might appear to be scandalising and frivolous but they are much more fun, no wonder they up the party metre like anything," says Mayank Verma, plus two student and a Punjabi rapper himself.

He adds, "Even I have written songs like these. Moreover, they are great to be played in car when you're out on geri or such purposes."

Did he say car and open an altogether favourite subject? Where geris are a cult, woofer a must and the young boys don't see beyond the alloys and accessories. "Vich Pajero de," being just a case in point.

Why just SUVs and alloy wheels, anything that swells the brag quotient. Fights are a phenomenon… wine indispensable, right next to women "je jaruri ae pulani, mere bulla nal launi, ohda mehndi vala hath ik war taan lahvao, ni main ho gaya shraabi" and love for music, almost ancestral.

Opines Jatinder Mauhar, director, dialogue writer, Mitti, "These songs are played so often, almost everywhere and have such easy lyrics that they are instantly on your tongue even if you don't want them to." He adds, "Yes, somewhere they are promoting a wrong culture but it's a trend these days, rather such clever quick-witted songs have always been there and done well. But it could also be because no one's making meaningful songs anymore. For instance, in the film Mitti we have three songs that fall in this category while the rest are rather serious, but they're doing just as well."

Meanwhile, can anyone hear yet another song promoting drunken brawls, gun, muscle power? Shares Jeet Jagjit, popular Punjabi singer, "I am personally not in favour of such lyrics. It could be because of my academic background of being a postgraduate in Punjabi literature. So, I believe lyrics with some message can be made entertaining too."

He adds, "For such a trend I'll hold both artistes and listeners responsible. If the listeners choose to ignore than appreciate, nobody will record them." The Sufi lovers; the deep, thought provoking brigade, the listeners of 'music with meaning', would no doubt take offence. Awful, awesome, good, bad…how are you taking it?

manpriya@tribunemail.com

Worth an appointment
Arpan Vohra, who showcased his wedding collection at the grand finale of Chandigarh Fashion Week, captivated the audience
Neha Walia

When your visiting card says you are a designer who is 'available only by appointment', you don't need to market yourself! The market comes to you. And since fashion is all about exclusivity, the selling point is when you add innovation to it. "When I experiment with my designs, I try and make them multi-utility," says Arpan Vohra. The Delhi-based designer who showcased his wedding collection at the grand finale of Chandigarh Fashion Week captured the different moods and phases of a wedding through his designs.

"My collection was like a statement that turns into a conversation. Each dress can be worn as separates. And even the wedding trousseau designs would move away from the cliché of having once in a lifetime wearability."

The chic, feminine and royal collection emphasised on jewelled embellishments, emeralds, crystals and nice cut works giving dramatic effects to anarkalis, sarees and patiala salwaars.

The colours are underplayed to highlight the finishing, the key element in his collection. The fabrics used were brocades, georgettes and lot of laces. "Most of my works are based on the kind of feedback I get from my clients. The kind of fashion I cater to is comfortable wearing, which compliments every occasion and something that doesn't look waste after the occasion is over."

And the advantage it gives? "The finishing and the fits give you a slimmer look."

While Jesse Randhawa walked the ramp for him, he thinks having a showstopper does take the burden off the designer.

Having studied from the London College of Fashion and six years into the industry now, Arpan has exposed himself to the biggest fashion markets in the world, Paris, Hongkong, Dubai, to name a few.

And how does he feel about his outing in the city? "CFW is phenomenal in its first attempt. It's opened up a huge market, which is yet to be explored in terms of retailers, private buyers and fashion trends. The kind of response we got was very encouraging," he signs off.

Till then, buyers wait and watch!

nehawalia@tribunemail.com

We have arrived!
Even as Mahie Gill does the city proud by winning the Screen Award for the 'Most Promising Newcomer' in Mumbai, back home, actor-cum-enterpreneur Kimi Verma gives us something else to feel good about
Jasmine Singh

It boosts confidence. It also sends out a message, loud and clear - "People here I come. You can't ignore me. I am the discovery of an art-cum- commercial director; I am from theatre and I come from Chandigarh. And yes, I am a Punjabi.'

Mahie Gill Kimi Verma

It was 'the' moment. Nokia Star Screen Awards 2010 announced the category for 'The Most Promising Newcomer Female'. The nominations: It wasn't an easy fight. Mahie Gill (Dev D), Kalki Koechlin (Dev D), Jesse Randhawa (Gulaal), Gauhar Khan (Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year) and Giselle Monteiro (Love Aaj Kal). Tension was overt and anxiety peaked. 'The award goes to Mahie Gill for Dev D', announced the host. She climbs the podium, oozing confidence. Dressed in a smart, short dress; our 'Paro' knew she had arrived.

"I attribute the award to my director Anurag Kashyap. I wouldn't have got it had he not casted me in Dev D," says Mahie Gill, savouring the sweet taste of the first big Bollywood award. "I have won many awards in school and college, but that was nothing as compared to this one." Surrounded by the who's who of Bollywood, we hope the girl didn't feel like a babe lost in the woods.

She laughs, "I did feel that for a while. Nevertheless, I know Mumbai has accepted me and I have accepted it as my home. I have created a niche for myself. The journey has just begun though."

Mahie started her journey from Chandigarh while she was pursuing theatre. "I had my share of exposure in Chandigarh. I wanted to fly, and Mumbai has a vast sky. I love it here," offers Mahie.

She loves her new-found recognition and her work, which is raining from all sides. "I am doing Man Singh Tomar with Irrfan Khan, Lucky Ram with Arbaaz Khan Productions, Surmai Shaam with Nasseruddin Shah."

She ponders for a minute, then adds, "I think I will be able to give back my city what it has given to me. Trust me, it wasn't an easy ride. This world is full of disillusionments, strangeness, but thankfully, I have found the ground beneath my feet."

Balancing act

A girl from Chandigarh steps up to receive an award from the filmi duniya. Back home, another Punjabi girl gets ready to face the camera. While she puts on her make up, she makes a call to Los Angeles (LA) about her designer brand, Scala. Tough act? Not really. For Kimi it is all about religiously following and practicing the cliché, 'Where there is a will, there is a way.'

"Performing in Bollywood and handling a successful business is a demanding job," offers Kimi, on a visit to the city on Monday. "It makes no difference whether you are a stop-star of Bollywood or an aspiring businessman. Just believe in yourself." More than self-belief, Kimi attributes success in life to her education and parental support. "I started acting when I was 14. However, I never gave a miss to my classes. Education changes ones outlook in life and enables us to understand people as well as situations better. Besides, I wanted to be a successful entrepreneur," adds Kimi, an MBA who strongly supports women education.

Next comes parental support. "I would be lost without my parents supporting my decision to do movies. I might have even ended up like any other lost kid searching for limelight."

"Today I work in Punjabi movies and the confidence comes from the trust my parents have on me."

Punjabi cinema- it desperately needs a change? Shares Kimi, "It has already headed for a change. As of now, the audiences need to change their outlook towards Punjabi Cinema. They need to watch it more." As of now, we are busy watching Kimi do the balancing act with élan!

jasmine@tribunemail.com

You…Tube it
YouTube is a single platform to showcase creativity, especially when one has the vision and passion but limited resources
Jasmine Singh

A five-second clipping on Aman Kachroo, short ones on youngsters squatting on the roadside and puffing marijuana, well-researched documentaries on child abuse, female foeticide, hilarious videos of birthday parties; some scary ones depicting the end of the world, live recorded speeches of freedom fighters…YouTube is indeed the one single platform to showcase creativity, especially when one has the vision and passion, but limited resources. It shouldn't come as a surprise, then, that each one of us could be a documentary filmmaker. But don't forget to carry the basic equipment and vision for the same!

What makes YouTube the most sought after site? Is it the cheapest and best way to get noticed? Is it where you find the who's who of the film world? We scrape.

Dheeraj Raj Sharma has posted three links and clippings of his three short documentaries on girl education on YouTube, for which he received an amazing response. "I didn't have the resources to make a documentary that I wanted to for a long time. All the same, I went ahead and made them; two with a handy cam and one on my mobile. Then came the major task of marketing and screening, which again was not happening. Meanwhile, my sister put the video on YouTube," he says. Adds Dheeraj, "I could not believe the responses I got for it. Awards and funds poured in from all corners." Dheeraj also rates YouTube as the best platform to express creativity.

Documentaries are meant to be eye-openers. At the same time, if someone has an idea and the burning desire to put it forward, it does not matter whether it's the Goa Film Festival or YouTube as long as one gets a good response from people.

"Documentaries are informative and interesting," chips in Shilpi Sood, a student of Economics. "But who has the time to watch them. You have to be part of some movie club because we don't see the screening of many documentaries. Youtube, here, is the best medium." Shilpi checks out almost 5-10 videos and documentaries on YouTube the day she sits down for a religious scrutiny. "You will find matter on every subject under the sun - from stuff on 9/11, riots, political speeches, social causes, hilarious stuff, movies on partying nuisance, ragging, poverty, nationalism... the list goes on. YouTube has given a medium to people who like to make movies in a limited budget," she adds.

Besides offering a platform, there are more benefits of putting videos on YouTube. It is beyond censor because of the free nature of the web. It is a good place for beginners; it allows you to reach to wider audience. If you are lucky, you can walk away with a lot of awards as well!

jasmine@tribunemail.com

Now, if you want to put a video of your own on YouTube or make one, here is what can be done. You will need something to record your video - a camcorder or a cell phone if it is equipped to record videos. A digital camcorder will give you the best quality. Popular videos on YouTube include the funny ones, music, video blogs, how-to-do videos, or even those on a trip you have taken. You can make a video on just about anything…it is yours. Think as a director. You need to keep your videos less than 10 minutes and can submit as many videos as you want. When creating a YouTube video make sure that the quality is good. Speak directly into the camera or else use raised voices. You do not have to shout but rather project with your voice, so that people who will be watching your video can hear and understand.

Launch PAD
Circle of friends

Fly Mobile phones in Europe has announced the launch of its ‘qwerty’ key pad dual sim phone, the Fly Circle in India. Fly Circle enables you to connect to multiple instant messaging and social networking sites as well as the use other utilities and applications. It is available for Rs 3,849. Fly Circle is powered with Nimbuzz, a new-generation mobile service designed for the online age, which makes you more mobile.

Social networking sites and communities supported by the multiple award winning Nimbuzz application include Skype, Windows Live Messenger, GTalk, Yahoo, AIM, MySpace, ICQ, and others. At the heart of Nimbuzz is the live contact list — an always-on, hyper-connected, dynamic address book, enhanced with 'real-time-presence' that shows at a glance who's online, offline, busy or away, their status messages, and social community activity. You can launch IM chat sessions; conduct offline and voice messaging; send photos, videos, music besides various other communication and interactive features. As a Nimbuzz user on Fly Circle you enjoy the freedom of communicating with friends between any internet enabled device, from mobile to mobile, mobile to PC/Mac and vice versa, harnessing the power of the Internet.

Framing memories

Transcend Information Inc. introduced its 8-inch digital photo frame with 2GB of internal memory and support for today’s most popular types of memory cards. Featuring a large ultra high-resolution screen, the Transcend PF830 is capable of displaying digital photos with the same sharpness and rich colours as high-quality prints.

With its smooth contoured shape, lustrous gloss finish and subtle etched hexagonal pattern, the PF830's modern design is a perfect match for any home décor or personal style. The PF830 also features an extra-bright 8'' digital LCD panel with an extremely high 800x600 resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio that displays digital pictures with minimal distortion, allowing photography enthusiasts to accurately showcase their favourite shots with true-to-life brilliance and clarity.

The PF830 conveniently displays videos, photos and music from a variety of sources: USB flash drives, memory cards, or the photo frame’s own on-board memory. With a generous 2GB of internal memory, the photo frame enables users to store and display up to 9,000 digital pictures without even having to use a memory card. With its advanced auto-play feature, users can instantly browse photos or videos right when they plug their digital camera's memory card into the photo frame.

Small is beautiful

Fujifilm India Pvt. Ltd announced the launch of two cameras to join the existing and popular line of J series compacts; the FinePix J27 and J30.

According to Kenichi Tanaka, managing director, FUJIFILM India: "Fujifilm's J range of cameras has been a huge hit with consumers who demand a compact that's affordable, easy-to-use, and produces great images. Not only do the two new J models tick all these boxes, they are ultra-stylish as well. At only 20 mm thin, and available black and silver, the J27 and J30 series have been finished with a special double-coated laminate to give a beautiful, glossy and varnished finish."

In a first for J series models, the FinePix J27 and J30 feature a Panorama Mode. Get creative and capture those sweeping landscapes or large group shots at weddings. Panorama Mode works by seamlessly stitching together three consecutive shots to produce one impressive panoramic picture. —TNS

Travelling light and equipped
Amitpal Singh Grewal

There are so many things about travelling that can cause stress and sometimes we wonder why we leave the house at the first place. But making our life easier there are some simple travel gadgets and accessories that can considerably reduce the stress of going on a trip. I have selected a few that can help you have a happy holiday.

Electronic luggage tag

Trace Me Luggage, helps you not to lose your luggage when you are on a holiday. With the Trace Me Luggage Tag you can reduce the chances of losing your luggage forever. The Trace Me Luggage Tag is very strong and robust, and contains an individual serial number and a bar code, which is registered for life on a secure data storage system. This system is used by law enforcement agencies, airport baggage handling organisations and lost property services worldwide, so if in case your luggage is off track or lost, a simple scan of your electronic tag will identify it as your property with your contact information for fast recovery.

Travel Charger Adaptor

If you rely on mobile phones and other gadgets to stay in touch while travelling, the Travel Charger Adaptor is probably the most useful travel gadget you will ever own. The Travel Charger Adaptor combines adaptors suitable for use throughout Europe, North America, Africa, Australia and the Far East, as well as featuring a handy USB power socket for charging portable players and other gadgets that would normally charge through your computer.

Portable Luggage Scale

Airline baggage weight limits can be very puzzling. Some times they differ from one airline to another and when you check your bags at the airport there's always that little troublesome worry that you've exceeded the limit and will have to leave something behind or pay an excess baggage fee. With the Luggage Scale, you'll never have this worry. This handy travel gadget can handle up to 50 kg. Simply attach it to your case, and read the weight. If you're over your baggage weight limit you can remove a few things and leave them at home, or pack them into your hand luggage instead. The Portable Luggage Scale can then be carried in your hand luggage so that you can check your bag weight again on the way home-which is very handy if you've collected souvenirs and duty free goods during your holiday.

Paper toiletries

Camping and backpacking holidays are lots of fun, but without a car to carry all the equipment you need to be quite strict about what goes in your luggage. Bottled toiletries can be heavy even travel-sized bottles will weigh you down and make walking uncomfortable, the best solution to this problem is a fantastic range of paper toiletries. Ideal for travelling light, the range includes paper shampoo, paper shaving foam and paper anti-bacterial soap.

Portable solar charger

This one's my favourite, The Portable Solar Charger is another travel gadget that's ideal for camping trips, when access to electricity supply might be restricted. The Portable Solar Charger contains a Li-Ion battery, which is charged by the sun during the day. Once charged, the Portable Solar Charger can charge your mobile phone with enough power to talk for two hours, or load your MP3 player with power equivalent to six hours or even more of listening time. The Portable Solar Charger comes complete with cables and a selection of adaptors making it suitable for a huge range of mobile phones as well as many wma/mp3/mp4 iPod etc models.

amitpalsinghgrewal@gmail.com

Haute pick
Charge up

The Logitech S315i is a portable rechargeable speaker that makes it easy for you to take to picnics, parties, the backyard, or room to room. S315i stands 10.5 inches wide, 5 inches tall, and an inch deep, the unit will fit nicely into any carry bag or purse. The gadget loaded with a built-in rechargeable battery, you can listen to your music for up to 20 hours on the battery alone without the power cord in sight using Power-saving mode as claimed by Logitech.

Fashion, tadka marke!
The first Chandigarh Fashion Week had it all, designers, ramp-scorchers, crowds, moments of brilliance and, of course, the flip side
Neha Walia

We’ve been told about our good looks, great sense of fashion and, of course, fat pockets (it comes with the whole deal, doesn’t it?). The only thing left was our own fashion week. Big deal, we had that too! The Chandigarh Fashion Week had everything - big designers, ramp-scorchers, front row full of city’s socialites, their kids; families of designers, models, make-up guys and good business opportunities.

But behind the scenes, it had glamourous goof-ups, wannabe wardrobe malfunctions and gossip with the usual tadka. It was just like a regular fashion week, with dash of oomph and a pinch of ouch!

The event had great intentions - promoting local talent. A platform where region-based designers and models get a fair exposure. Well, don’t know about the designers but the models did expose, the flaws we mean.

Now whosoever said eating disorders originated with fashion models horribly miscalculated and underestimated some of our ramp-scorchers. For, they very beautifully added another digit to size zero (remember the dialogue khaande peende ghar di kudi). C’mon, we are in Punjab!

Anyways, lets not be critical about anything, (even the catwalk, that in parts looked like cattle walking). It was promotion of talent!

The clothes, on the brighter side, were worth the attempt. With designers coming in from Delhi, Jammu, Kolkata, Mumbai and the region, collections were rich and royal. And although we are not exactly looking towards a wedding season, most designers had their trousseaus to offer. Maybe they did their research well, or the fact about big fat Punjabi weddings got out long ago. Spending a mere 2.5 lakh on a wedding lehenga is no big deal for us Punjabis, Right?

No fashion week is complete without celebrity showstoppers and we had our fair share as well. Udita Goswami, Shawar Ali, Shibani Kashyap and a handful of known names like Jesse Randhawa, Amanpreet Wahi, Candice Pinto et al.

But the suspense remained at the participation of Riya Sen, who was supposed to walk for designer Arpan Vohra. There were two versions of the story. One, she missed her flight and so couldn’t participate. Second, she landed in city and then went back because of bad weather (while we enjoyed the clear skies for past three days!). And then another version was announced, “Due to some natural calamity, Riya Sen could not make it.” Well, we wonder what ‘natural calamity’ kept her from coming. Payment hassles, agreement issues with the organisers, not enough publicity promised, or famine, flood, cyclone…never mind though! More backstage activity had models shivering in cold; some trying to fit into their dresses (oops, we were not supposed to mention that), sequences being missed, delayed and on stage, everything was perfect (it would n’t hurt anyone if we said so). But it was a first, which is appreciable and did generate good business. And while we praise, we just cannot miss out on the fun it provided for us, fashion-challenged people! 

One for the fashionistas
Designer Honii Sandhu talks about her fashion school
Jasmine Singh

Sometimes a small incident, a childlike desire, can work as a booster for a venture. City-based fashion expert Honii Sandhu shares a similar story with us. She tells us about her new endavour, Fashionista, the School of Fashion Technology.

“My daughter wasn’t satisfied with her training on fashion and designing in the city. And, she didn’t want to move to Delhi. During one of my short tours to Delhi, I happened to meet Neetu Pavan Manikatalia of Fashionista. I was impressed with her vision and working style. I also wished for something like this in my city, to give a platform to the creative minds.”

Honii got the franchise for Fashionista, which is all set to see a Feburary 8 launch at Manimajra.

A name in the fashion industry, Honii definitely has hopes from her upcoming venture. “Chandigarh does have many fashion schools, but Fashionista will expose students to the finer nuances of the fashion industry,” offers the designer, who has displayed her works in New Delhi, Mumbai, Patiala, Jalandhar, Pakistan and Dubai.

“Fashionista will expose the students to experimental learning through internships, guest lectures and industry-sponsored projects,” she adds.

Just one year in the industry, the institute already boasts of a versatile panel, with names like Reynu Tandon, Abdul Halder, Umer Zaaffar, Rahul Dutta and Vijay Roy. “With cut throat competition around, the institute is also the member of Fashion Design Council Of India (FDCI) that says a lot about the niche it has created for itself in such a short span,” puts in Honii.

More on the state-of-art institute — e-library, free laptop, celebrity workshop, portfolio making, annual exhibitions, annual fashion show, award to budding designers, top brand association for internship is what the institute would be offering. As for Honni, the director of Fashionista, Chandigarh branch, “Fashion changes in a flick of a second. This institute will help the students to keep pace with the changing demands,” provides the designer.

Heal the world
Tribune News Service

In its continued effort to increase awareness on cancer prevention and as a run-up to the World Cancer Day on February 4, Fortis Hospital, Mohali held a Rally, a special educational puppet show and a Talk on ‘Early diagnosis of cancer and its prevention’ by Dr Rajeev Bedi, senior oncologist, Fortis Mohali. The rally was flagged off from Phase 9, Mohali by   Balbir Singh Sidhu. Over 125 persons participated in the rally.

The puppet show highlighted the abuse of tobacco and how this could be controlled. A puppet dressed as a doctor highlighted to a villager how more than 9 lakh deaths take place in the country each year because of tobacco and cigarette use. Through a clever mix of the latest songs and interesting dialogues, the doctor-puppet talked about how tobacco companies were targeting developing nations such as ours to sell their products, cashing on the illiteracy and ignorance regarding tobacco.

The government, on the other hand, was doing its best to fight this menace through a ban on advertisements relating to tobacco and its products such as bidi and cigarettes. The puppet show dramatically highlighted how family and friends should support a person   in his fight to give up smoking altogether. The person himself should battle this habit with grit and will power. A smoker should consult his physician or doctor to help him in this attempt, advised the doctor-puppet.

“Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world. WHO estimates that 84 million people will die of cancer by 2015 if there is no intervention and awareness of cancer is not increased,” stated Dr. Rajeev Bedi. “50 per cent cancers are tobacco related e.g. lung cancer, cancer of mouth, cancer of the voice box, cancer of the food pipe etc. Avoiding intake of tobacco can prevent these cancers. As important is a healthy diet, regular exercise, limited alcohol use and protection against cancer-causing infections,” he added.

Striking a positive note, Dr. Bedi said, “Certain cancers like the cancers of the mouth, breast and cervix can be detected early and cured, if treated promptly. Therefore it is important to be aware of the early warning signals and consult a health professional at the earliest,” he stated. Adding Col. Harinder Singh Chehal, director, Fortis Hospital, Mohali says, “Fortis believes that ‘Prevention is always better than cure.’ To help people in preventing cancer we are giving 50 per cent off on mammograms for the entire current week, free consults with doctors if needed and a Health Check for detecting cancer for Rs 1000 only during this period.”

Spade work
Colour collage
Satish Narula

When we talk about plants, we refer to them ‘the greens’. That is the broad term that has nothing to do with their actual form, colour and texture. Any plant is beautiful but its beauty is enhanced when it has, in addition to its green status, a colour or variegation. Variegation?  I know it is a general term for most of you but I am most of the time asked by amateur gardeners about the terminology. Well, it is the spot colouration in the leaves that they are called variegated.

The variegation in leaves could be the white spots, yellow spots or even other colours sprayed on leaves. Leaf variegation gives the plant uniqueness. Compare various species of green plants with their variegated forms and you will appreciate. In most of the cases, I have observed that the green form of the plant comes in the market first and then it is followed by its variegated form. Variegated plants have their own importance. Even a single variegated plant stands out in a group of greens. Their colour character is also used in theme parks, for example, the moonlit garden has most of the variegated plants that stand out in the silver light of a moonlit night.  

You must be familiar with some of the common variegated plants like those of Ficus species like Ficus variegata and the one, which is commonly referred to as Starlight, a very costly plant. Schefflera, a very hardy shade loving plant, is another beauty, the green form of which has a variegated type too and with time has appeared another form of it, the variegated type with lobed leaves. It is rare and amazing. Who does not know about the profusely flowering Chandni shrub? But when different shrubs are used to create different topiaries on a mound, nothing can beat the variegated Chandni. Try sometimes an exclusive group of variegated Chandni trimmed to make ‘globes’.  

Monstera deliciosa, the one with lobed and cut leaves, is one of the most common indoor plants that is a must in any collection of greens. Its variegated form is, however, probably the best of all variegated form types.  The emerging leaves are either with a streak of white, half of it is white or it is completely white and the striking feature is its sparkling white colouration and delicate nature. Looking at the leaf you will agree nothing could be whiter than the Monstera white!

Fortnight alert: Look at your winter annuals. Do you find them too deep green, succulent and growing vegetatively? Check on your watering. Are you being too liberal with it? Be careful. You may end up with more of leaves than flowers. But that does not mean starving the plants of water at this stage. Keep an eye that you do not cause any stress at this stage. Keep a watch and any sagging of leaves should not be allowed.

satishnarula@yahoo.co.in 

Courting controversies
Radhika Bhirani

Vivek Oberoi is clearly not happy about being tagged as a “stalker” or a “gatecrasher” and says he is “genuinely sick” of all controversies. “Suddenly I’m a stalker one day and one day I’m a gatecrasher. Mela laga hua hai kya (Is it a fair of controversies)? Will anybody say anything and walk away? What nonsense is this? It’s very irresponsible and I completely disapprove of it. It’s rubbish. If there was an element of truth in this, I can understand. But this is nonsense,” Vivek said.

The actor, who was giving a sneak preview of a Bollywood musical to be performed at a yet-to-be opened entertainment destination Kingdom of Dreams, seemed visibly upset about recent news reports about him. He has been accused of going uninvited for a party at superstar Shahrukh Khan’s residence where his former beau Aishwarya Rai was present with husband Abhishek Bachchan.

One more chance
I would love to work with Hrithik again, says Isha Sharwani

Isha Sharwani, known to be the only dancer in Bollywood who can match her steps with Hrithik Roshan, says she would love to work again with the actor after Luck By Chance. “I will love to get a chance to work with Hrithik again,” Sharwani, who has also appeared with the actor in a commercial said. But it is not Bollywood, which is Sharwani’s true calling. “I think I belong to stage because dance is my destiny. I love it,” said the actor, who started performing when she was just 13-year-old.

Sharwani, 25 started taking an interest in dancing because that helped her avoid school but slowly it became a passion.