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Moving northward
Director Guddu Dhanoa is set to direct a Punjabi flick after having made 23 Bollywood films The mandatory qualification for bagging the main male lead in Punjabi movies is to be a singer! "How silly!" Guddu Dhanoa took some time to come to terms with the unofficial fact but once he does, the inevitable happened. "Sonu Sood had to be replaced by Diljit Dosanjh, a Punjabi singer, as for people here only hit singers make hit actors," informs Guddu, as he relaxes in his hotel room in Mohali after the day’s hectic work of finalising locations for his first Punjabi film. It wasn't an overnight decision or some kind of a revelation that made Guddu Dhanoa direct a Punjabi film after spending over three decades in Bollywood and having made 23 films. "I always wanted to make one, contribute towards the Punjabi cinema and my homeland," which he is doing through The Lion of Punjab, starring Divya Dutta, Pooja Tandon (The Perfect Bride fame), Ghuggi and of course Diljit Dosanjh. It's an issue-based flick, the journey of a villager from his village to a city and that's all Guddu wants to reveal about it with just the addition, "It's not about the 'ancient' land-grabbing or problems of NRIs, but an issue that hasn't been explored by Punjabi film-makers." He compares the Punjabi film industry with that of south, which is making more business than even Bollywood. Albeit his delivering several action hits like Ziddi, Salakhen, Eelan, he doesn't like to be tagged as director of this particular genre. "It's how you perceive these films. For every action sequence, there is an emotional reason." He explains with an example, "In a scene in Ziddi, Sunny Deol breaks the hand of a villain because he has teased his sister. Emotions justify every action scene and no scene is for the heck of it." And after all these years in the industry, he feels the dynamics of filmmaking has changed, some for a good cause and some otherwise. "Our focus used to be making a good film, not collections. Today, even before a movie is released, the box office collections are estimated. The scale of marketing and publicity makes or breaks a film." In any case, he confesses there is no formula for a hit film, "Had that been the case, my film, 23 march:1931 Shaheed, starring Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol and Aishwarya Rai would have been a hit. It had quality cinematography, music, sets and even star cast." Dharmendra being his first cousin, it's obvious that most of his films has stars from the Deol family. And what's keeping him busy in Bollywood are his two upcoming films, Deewana Must Die, a love story and Handsome 4, an action film. Emotions and actions are together again! ashima@tribunemail.com
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Valentine's Day and what do you expect? How about a mushy movie date revolving around childhood friendship, puppy love and everlasting bonds? Pyaar Ka Fundaa promises some changes, certain clich. What's new? There' a Ropar guy and a claim, "First Hindi film which has paragliding in it." More about the boy from Punjab, the brand new guy who plays the protagonist Rahul. "In the movie, I play a trainer who conducts paragliding workshops and this sport is his passion as well as full-time profession," says Yugboh Garewal, who along with his childhood friend grew up with a dream for flying. No wonder, as kids it's standing on mountain tops, flying kites, paper planes. "We've worked really hard for the movie and also had fun. For now, we are keeping our fingers crossed," adds the guy who's been running a media consultancy firm for the past three years. Back to the movie and there're two more young faces Surbhi Shukla and Kashi Tiwari along with veterans; Shakti Kapoor, Kiran Kumar, Reema Lagoo and Razak Khan. And not to forget, five versatile songs complete or complement the romantic thriller set against the backdrop of adventure sport. Needless to say, what follows is series of events leading to true love and friendship. Overdose of sentiments at cinemas near you this Friday! — TNS
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Brave new world
Eleven people from the region receive the Godfrey Phillips Bravery Awards on Wednesday
Twenty years of making the society know these ordinary people with extraordinary spirit, the 11 awards conferred this year to people from the region not just celebrated physical bravery but social as well.
"Physical bravery happens at the spur of moment but social bravery is difficult to achieve. The strength required to fight against social problems require lifelong motivation," says Harmanjit Singh, general manager corporate affairs, Godfrey Phillips. The first step in highlighting the socially brave is the Amodini award that was presented to Lakshmi Group from Himachal Pradesh, an initiative taken by the tribal women of Kinnaur to learn, earn and preserve the traditional art of weaving carpets. "The only aim is to benefit the cause of women empowerment, which leads to financial empowerment," adds Harmanjit. Another NGO, Sutra, active across 500 villages in Himachal Pradesh and generating awareness about violence against women, also received the social bravery award. The list Practicing what Godfrey Phillips preaches are Navin Gulia, Makhan Lal Tanwar and TPS Walia. These two social comrades of change were brave enough to fight their physical and mental weaknesses. Navin, an ex-Army man, now paralysed from neck down after a freak accident, didn't let go of his determination to make a difference. Running an NGO, ADAA, for education of street children across villages in Haryana and also working for the benefit of disabled soldiers. This and adventure sports are his driving passion. "Helping a child changes a life. And you don't have to do much, just take out sometime and help these children make something out of their life," says this 'National Role Model Awardee'. He also holds the record of driving non-stop for 55 hours to Marsimik LA. Navin received the 'Mind Of Steel Award' for his contribution to society. Another one who first fought his own weakness and then helped others fight their battles is TPS Walia. Once an addict and shunned by the society, his resolve to free the very society from the evil had him establish 'Wisdom Group', an association for the rehabilitation of drug addicts. His major concern now is to raise the issue of medical certification of AIDS before marriage. nehawalia@tribunemail.com
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Son’s tribute
Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan said he refused to host Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) Junior, after roaring success of the show hosted by his father Amitabh Bachchan. "I had refused the offer of becoming a host to Junior KBC after success of KBC show conducted by my father," he said. Abhishek, who was here to shoot for the reality show Bingo to be aired on Colors channel, said," Amitabh Bachchan ek hi tha, hai and rahega (Amitabh Bachchan is one and only and will be so) and there cannot be any comparison." Bingo gives opportunity to viewers to participate in the progranmme and win prizes by sitting at their homes. Abhishek said his father's good helped him getting entry into Bollywood. He said it was his family that helped him make what he is today. He advised students appearing for the board examination to do their best and not get disappointed by failures. He, however, refused to comment on Shah Rukh Khan-Shiv Sena controversy, saying his job is to act and he would continue to play role of actor. About Royal Laxmi Vilace Palace, where shooting of Bingo is going on, he said he was impressed by the beauty and richness of the palace. — PTI
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Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan's can now speak to fans directly Big B has launched a unique service, Bachchan Bol, to connect with his fans via mobile and landline phones across the globe.The service, launched by the actor in partnership with Inside India, allows a person to hear Bachchan sharing his thoughts anytime and anywhere at the press of a button. "Bachchan Bol empowers me with a personal platform on which I can connect and speak directly with my fans anywhere and anytime. From my films to my family, from my country to my city, you will be able to hear about it all, in my own voice, directly on your mobile phone," he said.Inside India acts as a repository for licensable content and entertainment from Indian superstars. Bachchan will share his personal and professional experiences from time-to-time. One can dial 505678910** from their mobile or landline phone to get connected with him."The new trend of voice blogging is an opportunity for celebrities to constantly be in touch with their fan base. The service facilitates a deeper engagement between stars and fans," an official from Inside India said. "We know the power of Indian entertainment and we are firmly embedded in the innovation of technology and the digital world. Combining these two elements we are paving a new way for social networking," the official added. — PTI
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Hrithik Roshan starrer romantic saga Kites, which also marks the Bollywood debut of Mexican model Barbara Mori, will hit theatres worldwide on May 21. The Hindi and English versions of Kites will release worldwide simultaneously in 60 countries. The first trailer of the movie, which has been produced by Rakesh Roshan, distributed and marketed by Reliance Big Picture, will be unveiled in 1700 screens on 12th February. Kites is a first-of-its-kind Indian film and it has already generated huge interest. We are proud to present the first look to a worldwide audience," said Sanjeev Lamba, CEO of Reliance BIG Pictures. Gangster director Anurag Basu has directed the Hindi version while the English version has been reworked by the well known Hollywood director Brett Ratner, whose direction credits include Rush Hour Series and X-Men: The Last Stand. The film is a romantic saga that goes beyond barriers, boundaries and cultures. It is a story of passion that defies every rule, of a relationship that takes two lovers on a thrilling journey filled with precious moments and unexpected betrayal. It also stars Kangana Ranaut, Kabir Bedi and Nick Brown. Kites has music by Rajesh Roshan, cinematography by Ayananka Bose and stunt coordination by Hollywood's Spiro Razatos. — PTI
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Akshay Kumar to perform Parkour in the new Thums Up ad Action star Akshay Kumar will be seen performing the death-defying sport Parkour in his upcoming Thums up commercial. He says that besides action, it has fun elements too. "This (ad) film has multiple types of action scenes. I have done car stunts, bike stunts, some powerful jumps, high energy tiring stunts but its great... Besides action it has lot of playfulness, fun and human interaction too," Akshay said in a statement. Akshay is the brand ambassador of the soft drink since 2003 and has so far appeared in two of its commercials. Shot in Kuala Lumpur, by Malaysian Director Farouk Aljoffery, the ad shows Akshay indulging in Parkour, an extreme sport meaning the Art of Moving popularised by the French, for a bottle of Thums Up. Conceptualised by Sainath Saraban, executive creative director, Leo Burnett and produced by Cutting Edge Pictures, it is all set to roll out in the middle of this month. The commercial shows a girl making back to back attempts to steal Akshay's soft drink bottle so she could win his attention, but the actor outsmarts her both the times before succumbing to her efforts and also getting his bottle back. Apparently Akshay is also a practitioner of the sport. He trained for the same for his 2008 movie Chandni Chowk To China. He is also reported to have built a Parkour gym in his earlier flat at Skypan Apartments in Lokhandwala, Mumbai. — IANS
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Shahid Kapoor, who is playing the main role in his actor father, Pankaj Kapoor's directorial debut Mausam has finalised the leading lady for the movie but the star is not yet ready to reveal the identity. The names that are doing the rounds are Shatrughan Sinha's daughter Sonakshi Sinha, Sharon Prabhakar's daughter Shazahn Padamsee and Govinda's daughter Narmada but Shahid said that none of them has been auditioned for the movie. "Even I read about this that Sonakshi, Shazahn and Narmada were auditioned for the film. Well, the fact is that no one, and let me emphasize again, no one has been auditioned at all for Mausam. We have already finalised the leading lady for the film," Shahid said. The title Mausam too hasn't been finalised. "This is just a working title. Everything else related to the film has been locked and we would be making a final announcement about the cast and the crew very soon. For the moment, this is all that I can commit," the 27-year-old actor said. Shahid has wrapped up the shoot of the Parmeet Sethi's yet untitled film with Anushka Sharma, hence bringing to an end a hectic time period that saw three back to back releases in the form of Kaminey, Dil Bole Hadippa and Chance Pe Dance. — PTI
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A cut above
Chandigarh has arrived! Yes, we don't have a monorail in the city, but yes, we do have trendsetters or fashion cream in the city, who can match up to the best names in the fashion. Well, the city knows just about everything about fashion and staying trendy. What's more, the people here are ready to sit through a chilly night, gulping down hot coffee and cold beer to see the petite models take a stroll on a 80 foot long ramp. Some devotion! With an equal amount of dedication, designer Honii Sandhu, to mark the launch of Fashionista, a fashion school, showcased her collection at Chandigarh Club on Tuesday night, keeping who's who of the city glued to their seats for almost one hour. As the Emcee for the evening Priyanka Vadehra, entertained the guests with her oneliners, the models catwalked on the stage to Vijay Roy's music. The fashion show opened with Honii Sandhu's collections where boys and girls, including the showstopper Jesse Randhawa, walked in traditional outfits. The first round had models flaunting Honii's designer saris with deep-cut blouses. The transparent golden sari and black sari worn by Jesse got a huge applause from the audience. For the salwar kameez round, the designer played with the fabric and the colours and a lot of contrasts. Sherwanis for men too had embroidery and a contrast colour usage. Heavy embroidery, Pakistani salwars, bright colour schemes, Honii seems to have set the trend for the coming wedding season. "I have played with chiffons, velvets, brocades, inspired from the Mughal Era displaying the royal Patiala elegance," says Honii Sandhu. Students of designer Abdul Halder, under his guidance, showcased their designs through three separate themes - Street Punk, Red Carpet and Handsome Hunk. After a long time, we saw men dressed up in a futuristic punk style. The dresses for girls were more like a prelude to the summer. Loose tops, asymmetrical designs, and very wearable dresses added a dash of summerish feeling in the otherwise chilly evening. Off the ramp, the fashion story continued with guests flaunting their individual collections. Tweed coats, long overcoats and woolen kaftans kept the ladies warm. And you thought, wintery nights were a old story! jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Strings attached
The present swaroop of Indian classical music can be called "modern" compared to its accepted origin by Bharatmuni during the second century or earlier. Though I have transformed the old Veena, already on the verge of extinction, incorporating rather retaining its best features in my newly created Satvik Veena, the generation next will term my invention and me as the old fashioned traditional musician," says Satvik Veena exponent Salil Bhatt, disciple son of the Grammy award winner Vishwamohan Bhatt of Maihar Gharana. A gold medalist in B Sc, Salil had qualified for IMA, but the destiny had something else for him. In the city for a concert to mark the 150th monthly baithak programme at Pracheen Kala Kendra, Salil, the internationally renowned musician, shares his views on the Indian and world music scene. Salil, the creator of Satvik veena, which is endowed with the tranquil melody of a traditional veena and the thrill of modern Hawaian or Spanish guitars, is heir to the 500-year-old-music legacy. Hailed as the Global Indian Musician Indian, Salil rose as a colossal on the world music scene at an early age with a pre-Grammy nomination and many more firsts to his credit. The first-ever musician to perform at Parliament of Germany. Having performed at all prestigious music festivals, including Cahicago World Muisc Festival -2007, Biggest International Guitar fest, Australia and for Queen Elizabeth in New Delhi in 1997, he is proud to be among very few Asians recorded by Folkways Live in Edmonton for Smithsonian Museum. "However, the recording will be played when I am not in this world to listen to it," Salil delights and laments. "All-Indian classical musicians have been the beneficiaries of early phases of globalisation after Pandit Ravi Shanker and others showed a glimpse of the grandeur, melody and magnificence of our musical heritage. Believe me, it is flourishing abroad more than in India where youngsters are attracted to it now," he says. On the popularity of instrumental music over vocal music abroad, he says that musical instruments and music is more open to innovations and improvisation as my father and I have proved by introducing Mohan Veena and Satvik Veena, respectively, and won the world recognition. Without innovative improvisation any instrument can be on the verge of extinction but my process of evolution is still on and the instant Veena may also be subjected to further modifications or reorientation to bring the melody of 'gayaki ang'. Maybe the vocal maestros have never explored the possibility but in any case, discovery is no threat to tradition and we, performers, must ensure regular interaction with listeners and listen to their demands," he adds. "I too hope to launch some TV show of classical music unlike the TV reality shows which promote films or filmwallas only," he signs off.
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Together forever
Marrying your best friend may help you adjust better, but there are certain riders that come along with it
“Marrying your friend definitely makes it easier to settle in marriage,” says Apurva Chawla, a lecturer from the city. “Although we belonged to diverse backgrounds - I am from Ambala and my hubby Subrata has been brought up in Kolkata - adjusting as man and wife came so naturally. Being friends means we have a similar thought process, which leads to minimal conflicts,” she adds. In fact, she believes that marriage only brought them closer as friends. Kushik Sharma, a networking professional at IT Park, Chandigarh, married Tanu after they had been friends for seven years. “We did not expect that marriage will bring any change to our friendship, yet it did. Matrimony brought in a lot of responsibilities along with it,” shares Kushik. “But then it was all so comfortable for we were on the same plane, knew each other’s nature and expectations from life so well,” he adds. “Being married to your friend definitely helps one adjust well, but then it’s the ‘novelty’ factor that’s missing in such marriages,” says Ashima Verma from Zirakpur. “Also expectations are pretty high in case you are marrying your best friend. And after marriage, your friend ceases to be just a friend. The role as husband and wife thrusts a lot of responsibilities, which somewhere affects your connection as friends, ” she adds. “There are certainly are some advantages if you marry someone you have been friends with,” says Sherry Sabbarwal, a city sociologist. “Being friends means you are familiar to each other, share interests and already have a good relationship. Yet there is no guarantee that your best friend will prove to be the best mate. Being a couple is very different from being friends. If you marry with that awareness things can be easy,” she adds. mona@tribunemail.com
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at lifestyletribune@gmail.com or Life Style, The Tribune, Sector 29-C, Chd Love thyself I am a 27-year-old guy working as a professor in an engineering college. My problem is my communication skills are really not so good and I feel miserable even while lecturing because I get the feeling that some of the students ask me questions just to bully me. I remain very stressed and want some help on how to improve my communication skills. I lack confidence in myself. Please suggest me some ways of improving on my whole personality and coming across as more confident person. Mahender Soni, Ambala You are very blessed and very fortunate to be in a wonderful job at your young age. Where is the need to feel a lack of confidence? Your present position itself is a confidence building exercise. Life is meant to be simple and easy. Just relax do not be so critical of yourself start spending herself an hour to 45 minutes doing yoga in the morning. This will be the greatest therapy for your problem. I feel you are looking for too much validation from the outside world. Learn to love yourself and look at your own strengths. When you stand before your students with a level of self-respect and self love and self-validation you will naturally be brimming with confidence and projecting that as well. Your students will respect you for this and take you to a new level of fulfillment. Take charge I am a 42 years old man and a farmer. I like reading your column, it makes me feel good. The problem with me is my mood swings. For many months sometimes I go into a depression. I feel listless and lethargic. I can’t get up from bed, I see no purpose and meaning in my life. My wife and I have cordial relations but she is mostly ailing and in bed. We have two sons one is away to study in Germany and the younger one studies in Delhi. I am very dejected and wonder what to do with myself. I have seen many doctors who have put me on anti depressant drugs many times but it is not a permanent cure. These days I am feeling fine but I do not know how long this will last. Please help me to find a solution. Balkar Singh Karnal You have to understand that we human beings are creatures of our own kind each unique unto himself. Our brains operate mysteriously to highly individual programming which is like today’s highly sophisticated computer, and honestly as tough`A0to fix. Trying to get routine matters into order is also a problem. So please do not worry so much about then. I must congratulate you on the fact that you understand your problem so well. All you need to do is now fix it at your own discretion. Just take charge of your emotional self. It is your own inner strength that shall come to your rescue. Put yourself into something worthwhile. I’m sure happiness and joy will come to you as you move on in life. Carry on I am a 21 years old girl studying in a co-ed college. I am doing a degree in Engineering. We are a family of three sisters and two brothers. I am the youngest of my sisters. My problem is that I have fallen in love with a boy who is also studying in my college but is much senior to me. We have been seeing each other for two years and want to get married. But since my sisters are still not married my family feels it would not be right for me to marry before either of them. I do not seem to see the sense in it. Also, my boyfriend’s family is pressuring him for marriage as he has an old grandfather who wants to enjoy the grandsons wedding. What must I do? I am disturbed. I do want to come to a decision, please help me. Rati Malhotra Ambala I do empathise with you dilemma. In our culture I can understand how your parents feel about your decision to get married but you can easily bring them around. Ask your boyfriend’s family to approach them with the problem at hand and I’m sure the situation will get solved pretty much on its own. If you are convinced that he is the right guy for you I think you can work towards making things happen your way. Do not feel disturbed, concentrate on your studies and do well. If you have made up your mind to marry this man, it will happen. Yes it would be nice if your boyfriend could have waited for marriage but in the given circumstance, carry on and God bless.
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Colour coding
Depressed people are most likely to use a shade of gray to represent their mental state, concludes a new study. In the open access journal BMC Medical Research Methodology, boffins have described the development of a color chart, The Manchester Color Wheel. The chart can be used to study people's preferred pigment in relation to their state of mind.
To create an instrument that would allow people a choice of colors in response to questions, Peter Whorwell, Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology at University Hospital South Manchester, worked with a team of researchers from the University of Manchester, UK. He said, "Colors are frequently used to describe emotions, such as being 'green with envy' or 'in the blues'. Although there is a large, often anecdotal, literature on color preferences and the relationship of color to mood and emotion, there has been relatively little serious research on the subject". The researchers created a wheel of colors of various intensities, including shades of gray. They then asked a control group of non-anxious, non-depressed people to describe which color they felt most 'drawn to', which was their favorite and whether any of the colors represented their current mood. When the test was repeated with anxious and depressed people, most chose the same 'drawn to' color as the healthy participants, yellow, and the same favorite color, blue. When asked which color represented their mood, however, most chose gray, unlike the healthy subjects who tended to pick a shade of yellow. A separate group of healthy volunteers were also asked whether they associated any of the colors with positive or negative moods. According to Whorwell, "When we used these results to separate colours into positive, negative and neutral groups, we found that depressed individuals showed a striking preference for negative colors compared to healthy controls. ".
— ANI |
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Not that friendly!
Avoid traps
Ankur Behl, Chandigarh Choose judiciously
NC Rana, Panchkula Onerous task
Neelofar Sohi, Patiala Worth trying
Anurag Raghuwanshi Panchkula Lifestyle invites responses from readers on the following issue: How do women’s clubs help?
Please email the responses in around 200 words to lifestyletribune@gmail.com or post along with your photo and contact number to ‘Relatively Speaking’, Lifestyle, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh. The best few responses will be published. |
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Looking for love
Singles looking for love put too much emphasis on looks and passion in trying to find their perfect match, according to research released ahead of Valentine's Day. An analysis by online dating website eHarmony shows what people find attractive in a possible partner may not be the same qualities that will make the relationship successful, which is a lesson learned by those who have been married.
For example single women aged under 45 were 13 times more likely than married women under 45 to stress the importance of feeling passion and desire toward their partners. Single women aged over 45 were nearly twice as likely to stress the importance of love, compared to their married peers who were more likely to cite companionship. "We know what we are attracted to. It is very easy to see. But the challenges of finding someone attractive can cloud over what is very important across the long haul," said Gian Gonzaga, a senior director of research and development at the California-based company. eHarmony compared the responses of 598,000 users registered on its website, some who had been previously married and some never married, about the qualities sought in a potential partner. Never-married singles tended to put emphasis on physical appearance, passion and personality in a partner, while formerly married singles focused on a person's beliefs, values, emotional intimacy and skills at resolving conflict and sexual compatibility. "The study showed that singles tend to focus on the emotional aspects of a relationship and don't focus as much on the skills and requirements that are necessary to make a long-term relationship stronger," said Gonzaga. An accompanying survey of 2,020 adults in the United States by Opinion Research Corporation for eHarmony, which was founded in 2000 and is available in Canada, Australia and Britain, supported the findings, according to Gonzaga. "It tends to be during the end of year holidays through Valentine's Day into the spring. That is when our membership surges the most."
— Reuters |
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The stage is set
February 11 Darling: This story is written by Anton Chekhov and directed by Ravinder Kumar (Ravi) It's a love story which presents the soft, innocent and human aspects of love. February 12 Qaidi: This story is written by great Hindi author Munshi Premchand and directed by Mohneesh Kalyan. February 13 Suraj di KoI Pith Nahi Hundi: This story is written by Balwinder Singh Grewal directed by Sahib Singh. It's a very complex story about relationships. Love doesn't know any boundary and nature is not limited in rules. But we humane have rules and social norms even in relationships to live in harmony. February 14 Seemantani Updesh: The play has been based on a book Seemantani Updesh, published in 1882 and written by an unknown woman and edited by Dr D.Veer February 15 Ganika: Is written and directed by Vijay K. Giri. In this play the writer takes a dig on so-called religious gurus and preachers.
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Beer-able fact
Kingfisher - the brand that has been synonymous with providing the "good times" to consumers, has launched Kingfisher Red,
India's first all-season beer in the city. A premium gravity beer, it is specially brewed to give you a distinctive taste with an oaky-woody flavor, which tastes great when chilled and even better when not chilled. It is an artistically crafted beer inspired by the traditional brewing practices of medieval European monks. The monks followed a typical process for making their beer and then matured it in oak barrels. Kingfisher Red is currently available in 650 ml bottles.
— TNS |
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Bravery cannot be quantified, nor can it
be limited to one act. It isn't a quality that someone is born with, but
it's a moment that changes life forever. At the Godfrey Phillips Bravery
Awards, we found people who thought they would never be brave enough,
until the moment came.
You have been ‘best friends forever’. How about taking your relationship to the next level? Will marriage be a bed of roses after having been together for a length of time or will love fly out of the window the day you tie the knot?
Friendship word has a deeper meaning than just being together or sharing problems. It is unconditional love and support, which can get a person out of the deep dumps. Today friendship has lost its meaning. People are making friends out of selfish motives; backbiting is pretty common. When face-to-face friendships have become motive-based how can we trust online friendships? People are falling into this trap and reveal certain information about themselves, which can be misused. Moreover, online friendships are like soap bubbles, they burst soon.
In the present day high-tech world, there is an instinctive need for a genuine friend. Therefore, friends should be the ones who remain steadfast in times of happiness and woe. For online friends, one should be choosy as there are many cheats and swindlers also who develop friendships for selfish motives. 
The way one makes, keeps and maintains relationships depends upon one’s own perceptions and personality. I think reaching out to the other with one’s problems and seeking support is essential. And making a difference emotionally is important, which is not possible online and sometimes not intended as well. Internet provides a good medium, but carries messages not emotions. Friends separated by distance can get little relief by staying in touch online, but the basis should not be the Internet. Making genuine friends in real life is such a big issue, so we can well imagine how difficult it could be on the net!
Nowadays, the lifestyle of people has changed, especially the youth. Excessive use of Internet has given birth to networking sites where one can log in and find friends. For most of them its fun, for others its a kind of stress buster. Online friendships are booming now irrespective of the age, place and profession. Some take them seriously and for others it’s the best source to kill time. One can even land up in a serious relation at times. But in my opinion physical proximity is also important, as friends might be needed in emergency situations. Perceptions are endless, but still your chat mates are out of the picture as soon as you switch off the
computer.
The second five-day Katha Manchan Festival-2010, organised by Mask Theatre opens at Randhawa Auditorium at Punjab Kala Bhavan-16 on Thursday. As many as five plays will be staged during the festival