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For love & honour
Demographics do not define barriers, perceptions do. In a village that's a mere 50 kilometres from Delhi, wordings of the sarpanch substantiated the same, "What's wrong in killing people who don't abide by the rules. We don't harm their families, just kill the culprits for the crime they commit." The crime is falling in love, culprits are youngsters in love and the rule they broke was marrying in the same gotra. "The script of the movie would have been readymade if only it was a mere fiction. It had drama, romance, action, tragedy…absolute pot boiler stuff but only if it was a fiction!" Ajay Sinha really wishes if whatever happens in the Jat heartland was a figment of imagination. And now when it's real and a bitter truth that affects the society, Ajay, a TV soap director of fame Astitva- Ek Prem Kahani and Kesariya Balam Aavo Hamare Des decided to be sensitive towards the issue by making a movie, titled Khap-a story of honour killing that has more to it than entertainment. Several visits to the interiors of Haryana, interactions with locals of the villages and a lot of research on honour killing was undertaken to make the first draft of the script. "The movie is being made with the sole aim to criticize honour killings. No excuse can justify a murder. We aren't passing a judgment on the same gotra marriage or decisions of Khap Panchayats in the film, we are just raising a voice against injustice done to youngsters," says Ajay.
The "eye- opener" as he terms it, came in the form of newspaper reports about the murder of Manoj and Babli. "It was appalling to know that Khap Panchyats that were constituted to protect villagers from outside forces and to settle minor disputes have become an authority in themselves." Taking a very objective take on the subject, movie also talks about the harms of same gotra marriage on the other hand. "Scientific researches prove that same gotra marriages can lead to genetic abnormalities in generations to come. Same gotra marriages should be discouraged at least till three continuous generations." But in case, that happens, murdering youngsters is still not the solution. The movie was shot in the vicinity of Chandigarh and parts of Haryana and is slated for release in August. The quasi-fictional film will star actors like Om Puri, Muhnish Bahl and Govind Namdev. Govind plays the role of a villain in the movie, who ironically is also the father of the son, "It was during the shooting of a scene in which I kill my son for the same gotra marriage, I wondered how in the garb of traditions, people commit heinous crimes. How can traditions make parents so cruel that they murder their child? When customs begin to impede on human rights, they should be discarded," shares Govind about his experience. The movie albeit in its own subtle way mirrors the wrongs of the society, but doesn't make any conscious attempt to bring in a change. "It would be incorrect to expect the movie to act as a catalyst. We rather want people to introspect the value system they are following that is detrimental to their lives or not," shares Muhish Bahl, a cast member. As for the expectations Ajay has, "People from Haryana must watch it." Not too high an aim! ashima@tribunemail.com |
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Field day
Phase three of Rock Garden sported a carnival look, as children in the age group of 8-16, displayed their skills in painting, dance and acting. In place of just one Nikumbh Sir, there was a strong team of around 50 AIESEC interns plus volunteers managing the show. Children who showed up for the event had a look around the world fame garden before settling down for the competitions. And it was not like it was only kids who presented a show. Interns in their turns jived on Indian, Western and Punjabi music. The whole crowd swayed to the tunes of Tunak Tunak prepared by the German group. Kiran, 14 who participated in painting competition shared, "This is one of the best days so far in my life." Anil, 9, followed one intern after the other , till he finally caught hold of one Brazilian and communicated to paint her country's flag on his cheek. Apart from a medical camp that provided free medical check up for the kids, it was the Global Village set up by some 15 foreign interns, that gave a glimpse of their own culture - Scottish, Russian, Lithuanian, Korean, Brazilian, Canadian, French, Singaporean, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese and Sri Lankan. "Seeing this event a success is my best reward,' shared Judith cheerfully, who came all the way from Mexico for this only. After a month in the country in which she along with her team pursued sponsors and arranged the event, it was hard to distinguish her from her fellows except that she couldn't speak Hindi. "But trust me interns from Sri Lanka are pretty fluent in that," she shared. The event that was on for almost the entire day, had food, beverages for the kids and some fun games as well. Not only a fun, some 70 kids who won the competitions were adopted by Rockstar Dance Academy and Kidscraft Painting academy. These selected underprivileged kids will be imparted free training in their chosen fields. "It's largely due to the efforts of the interns and our sponsors that we were able to have such a grand show," said Siddhant Choudhary, president communications, AIESEC
Chandigarh. mona@tribunemail.com |
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A shot to fame
All fair and square, it is a noble act to help the under privileged children of our society. It is a one in a million act to take care of their basic necessities like food and shelter, it is humane to give them love…everything in the right spirit. But isn't it also imperative to provide or train them to find a lucrative career option that would assist them live a life without any crutches. At the moment, this is the agenda of the NGO, Theatre Age, which is training the under privileged kids in various aspects of video production to enable them shape a brighter tomorrow for themselves.
The NGO has started a small video production school with assistance from photojournalists of leading newspapers, people related to the electronic media and from other volunteers. The kids at this school will be professionally trained in video production, editing, handling camera, script writing, anchoring and much more. Says Zulfiqar Khan, president, Theatre Age, "Our kids have done well in music, dance and theatre. So, we decided to teach them something that would help them earn 'good' money in the near future. As most kids do not go for higher education, we thought of training them in video making, a lucrative career." The kids were trained in still photography first, wherein they were given theoretical as well as practical knowledge on the same. "Now we are giving them classes in handling video camera for marriage, video editing, operating photo shop, anchoring in front of camera," provides Jeesu Jaskanwar Singh, assistant professor with PU, who is actively involved in this project. " There is a lot scope for growth and making money in this field. The kids are being taught the 'latest' in this field. Also, there is a lot of outsourcing happening in this field and the kids will definitely be able to make best use of it." All the necessary equipment, including hardware, software and camera required for the school are being arranged by the professionals as voluntary contributions. "Some volunteers have donated equipment, like Arun Kumar gave a M 9000, Uma Gupta another volunteer provided us with a Kodak camera." However, this isn't it. For the successful functioning of the school, Zulfiqar feels people need to come forward with humble donations, like any equipment related to this project. " The cost of the entire project is calculated to be 2lakh 74 thousand, and we will not shelve the project till the time the kids are trained. "Through this project we will also ensure they find suitable placements." jasmine@tribunemail.com |
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On a memory lane
In their endeavour to revere the legends who had contributed to the preservation, promotion and propagation of rich Punjabi cultural heritage in their respective realms of art, the Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi will pay musical tribute to nightingale Surinder Kaur, melody queen who had transformed the Punjabi folk and contemporary music to a spectacular level of world recognition.
"Such musicians are a phenomenon indeed," maintains Dr Kuldip Tiwana Secretary PSNA while divulging on the programme to be held at the Randhawa auditorium on June 15 at 7.00 pm. As many as dozen well known female singers including Poonam Rajput, Ishmit kaur, Pushpinder Kaur, Jaspreet Jassal, Shivan, Aman, Anchal and Tejaswani will pay musical tribute in a programme Teri Yaad aayee ve, especially designed by Hans Raj Hans, the president of PSNA . The artists will present songs immortalised by Surinder Kaur under the music direction of well known music director Varinder Bachan. The acclaimed folk and sufi singer Dolly Guleria, illustrious daughter of the departed legend and Col. Sharanjit Singh Guleria will grace the function with family. Remembering her mentor mother
Earlier sharing the lifetime memories of her mentor mother, Dolly Guleria acknowledged the blessed motherhood of Surinder Kaur and recited, "Har ikk toofan hai kashti, Bhanwar mein bhi kinaara hai/ Mujhe har dam meri maa ki duaanon ka sahara hai…" Paying tributes to her illustrious mother and saluting her musical prominence , Dolly Guleria, proponent of the rich legacy, hails the nightingale as phenomenon, a celestial music genius and an ideal mother. Credited with over 2000 Punjabi and Hindi film songs Surinder Kaur had performed worldwide taking the Punjabi folk and contemporary music to a spectacular level after Noorjehan. It was too difficult to for young girls from a traditional Sikh family to sing and perform in early twentieth century milieu but displaying courage the trio Parkash Kaur, Surinder Kaur and Narinder Kaur brought the Punjabi folk, ritual and rustic romantic songs to the main stream otherwise confined to the home ground. "Incidentally, it was a producer from Radio Lahore, Jiwan Lal Mattoo, who also discovered Mohammad Rafi and first recorded Surinder Kaur. After partition, music director Ghulam Mohammad recorded three songs in her voice for film Shaheed starring Dilip Kumar and rest is history," says Dolly. Unlike the mega show she presents on every birth anniversary of her mother, Dolly, her family and friends held an ardaas and Shabad keertan along with her music akademi artists. She herself led the keertan before announcing the formation of her Keertani Jatha also. Dolly Guleria's rendition of Gurbani came from heart emulating Surinder Kaur who had nourished souls with her music. |
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Here comes the Rapsta
Need some assistance to decode this new vocab( oops…we got into the mode as well)? Well yes, for sure, you do need some help to enter the world of rappers! We introduce you to Xtremoz-Undadawgs, a Chandigarh based rapping group comprising of two English rappers, Cash Kardz and Desi Ryder and one Punjabi rapper, Rob-C . Yes we just briefed you about the names of the group performers! More than the lingo, their names take you by surprise? Well one has to sound cool and trendy to leave a mark on one's audience, so Mayank Verma became Desi Ryder, Kamesh Chawla is known as Rob-C and Pranjal Sharma christianised himself as Cash Kardz. The group compromises of passionate rapstars, who have not even crossed their early twenties and are in favor of encouraging young talents akin them. The latest member to join the group is Anmol Aulakh aka A-Duelz, who is all set to make his name in the weirdly creative world of Punjabi rap. Ask them what brought him to rapping and he has customised answers, just like his name. "Rapping is a way of enjoying life. Rap is combination of Rhythm and poetry (read RAP). It is a way of expressing the state of mind. I want to pay tribute to the innocent people who lost their lives in the Taj terrorist attacks, so I plan to pay homage through my song", quotes Cash Kardz. Also, he adds, "One can rap by observing the things going in the surroundings. Politics, corruption, lifestyles, trends etc influence all. We observe things and add them in our songs." In process of becoming icons for others, these dudes have their own Rap icons as well whom they worship in Bohemia, Rakim, Nas, Eminem, Daddy Yankee to name a few to name from the list of the inspiring rappers. They pen down their own lyrics, compose their beats and at times download them from the Internet and then come together at the studio for recording. Maintaining their style statement becomes important for them. Accessorising themselves with baggy clothes, blings, sneakers, bandana rags, caps, dog tags, timberlands, long chains and keep a goatee or go for ear piercing is a must. "I have problem looking up for my kinda stuff in the city and I have to shop from Delhi to bag in my punk. I wish some shops would open to cater to the requirements of rappers in Chandigarh too," remarks Anmol. lifetsyle@tribunemail.com |
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Measured approach
If facts and figures are more substantial than mere observations and assumptions then let them be here as well. According to a report by the World Health Oraganisation in 2009 "More than 270 million people are susceptible of falling victim to diseases linked to unhealthy lifestyles in the next few years. Most of these people are thought to come from China, India, Pakistan and Indonesia." Did this ring the alarm bell? For people, who by now have brought in important lifestyle changes, future might become better and for those who believe they are blessed with immunity for good, welcome to the 'party'. For a lot of people who fall in the latter category, cure is as important as prevention.
"People get aware about the hazards of unhealthy lifestyles at a very late age, and by that time the body system has already suffered," says Dr. Anil Grover, cardiologist, PGI. Lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension and obesity are not very difficult to handle even after taking precautions. The cause of lifestyle diseases boils down to two factors, physical inactivity and unhealthy eating habits. They remain the same even after one suffers from them. "In case of diabetes or high blood pressure, one need not leave the normal diet. What is important is, eating food in the right quantity and of a desired quality. The patient should stress more on fruits and vegetables," says Dr Parvinder Chawla, attending consultant, internal medicine. Also it doesn't take much to change the physical activity part. "It is as simple as a doing a brisk walk for an hour for five days a week, or going in for strenuous work out in the gym," suggests Dr Grover. Madhu Sharma, dietician, PGI finds it very usual when a patient suffering from diabetes or obesity discusses his or her lifestyle, "As expected, it is faulty most of the times. And we require is to bring in discipline in daily routine." The most common excuses she gets to hear from people is that they skip their meals due to high-pressure jobs and then end up gorging on junk food. Others say that they sleep late and for less time. They have no time for aerobics, yoga or a simple walk. As a suggestion, those suffering from hypertension and diabetes should strictly avoid food rich in saturated fats, sodium and processed food. It's vital to assure that the food is rich in fibre content. Casual approach of the patients can prove to be really hazardous for their health. As Dr Chawla says, "A patient should not blindly follow a medication suggested to him by a doctor after a certain time gap. Regular medical check ups are strongly recommended to assess if the dose of medicine needs to be altered." If prevention is better than cure, cure isn't that bad an option too! |
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People find it easier to blame bad genes for poor health rather than taking the initiative to change their lifestyle. And this comes despite knowing that genes are only partly responsible for one's health condition. According to Suzanne O'Neill and her colleagues from the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, US, people on the whole are still interested in knowing how health habits affect disease risk. In order to identify the link between family history, behavioural risks and causal attributions for diseases and the perceived value of pursuing information emphasizing health habits or genes, the authors asked a total of 1,959 healthy American adults to complete a survey. They found that the majority of participants recognised that health behaviours were more likely to cause ill-health than genetics. However, as the number of behavioural risk factors increased, inclination to favour genetic explanations also increased. Those with the greatest need to change their behaviours are more likely to favour genetic explanations for their diseases. The more behavioural risk factors they have, the less likely they are to be interested in behaviour change information. The completion of the Human Genome Project has led to increased availability of genetic risk information linking gene variants to a number of common health conditions. There is some concern that this genetic risk information might prompt some individuals to give genetic causation undue importance while downplaying the contribution of well-known behavioural and environmental factors. — IANS
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For a safer skin
There has been an alarming rise in the number of patients suffering from skin problems due to the effects of UV rays. The patients with problems ranging from redness, burning sensation over face, itching, eczematous disorders, polymorphous light eruption, excessive dryness, chapping of lips, acne, peri-oral dermatitis, premature ageing of skin, wrinkling, greying of hair (canities), pre-cancerous skin disorders, actinic keratoses, cheilitis, melasma and skin pigmentation have increased.
Facts about sunrays: The sun produces both visible and invisible rays. Invisible rays known as ultraviolet-A (UVA) and ultraviolet-B (UVB) cause sunburn and damage to the skin. UVB rays are more hazardous than UVA. But both are equally harmful and are more intense in the summers. Skin problems caused due to sunrays
Sunburn: The chances of developing a sunburn are greatest between 11.30 am and 3 pm, when the sun's rays (UV-B) are the strongest. If skin is exposed to sunlight for too long, redness may develop. Severe sunburn causes skin tenderness, pain, swelling and blistering. Additional symptoms like fever, chills, upset stomach and confusion indicate a serious sunburn condition and require immediate medical attention. Aging: The skin invariably becomes wrinkled, droopy and leathery, causing people to look older than they are. The sun can also cause large freckles called age spots and scaly growths (actinic keratoses) that may develop into skin cancer. These skin changes develop in direct proportion to cumulative sun exposure. UVB stimulates the skin's pigment-forming cells, a natural protective measure. UVB is the main cause of skin cancers (which themselves are linked to a history of burning, especially in childhood) and premature ageing of the skin. Skin cancer: It is the third most common cancer occurring in women in the age group of 15-34 years. If you notice any changes in the size or shape of moles on your skin, itching or bleeding, you should see a specialist as quickly as possible. A common site for skin cancer in women, apart from face and exposed areas, is the legs. With men, the cancer is usually on the back. Skin protection
Using sun protection products will help prevent skin damage and reduce the risk of premature skin ageing, pre-cancerous skin conditions and skin cancers. These products/Sunscreens work by absorbing, reflecting or scattering the sun's rays on the skin. All of them are labelled with SPF numbers. Though SPF reflects the strength of the sunscreen but its efficacy should not be assessed by its number but judged by the constituents. The product should have a broad spectrum, having both physical and chemical-barrier effects. Broad-spectrum sunscreens block out both the UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreens are best applied about 20 minutes before going outdoors. This gives the skin time to soak in the product.
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BODY
wise Sachin Kalra All exercises don't produce results in the same duration. Some are simply more efficient than others, whether they target the multiple muscle groups or are suitable for a wide variety of fitness levels. Exercises help burn calories more effecientelly. Given below is a list of exercise which are most effective:- Walking
Interval training
Whether you're a beginner or an exercise veteran, a walker or an aerobic dancer, adding interval training to your cardiovascular workout will boost your fitness level and help you lose weight. The way to do it is to push the intensity or pace for a minute or two, then back off for anywhere from two to -10 minutes (depending on how long your total workout will be, and how much time you need to recover). Continue doing this throughout the workout. Squats
Strength training is essential, as the more muscular your body is, the greater the capacity you have to burn calories. And strength-training exercises that target multiple muscle groups are the best. Squats, which work the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteals, are an excellent example. They give you a better workout because they target the most muscle groups at once. However a good technique and form is very important. What makes an exercise functional is how you perform it. If you have bad technique, it's no longer functional. For perfect form, keep feet shoulder-width apart and back straight. Bend knees and lower your rear. The knees should remain over the ankles as much as possible. Start with 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps. Once, you perfect this, you can intensify your workout by adding resistance (dumbells) or increasing your sets and reps. Lunges
Like squats, lunges work all the major muscles of the lower body: gluteals, quadriceps, and hamstrings. Lunges are a bit more advanced than squats, as they help to improve your balance as well. Here's how to do them right: Take a big step forward, keeping your spine in a neutral position. Bend your front knee to approximately 90 degrees, focusing on keeping weight on the back toes and dropping the knee of your back leg toward the floor. To make a lunge even more functional, try stepping not just forward, but back and out to each side. Push-ups
If done correctly, the push-up can strengthen the chest, shoulders, triceps, and even the core trunk muscles, all at one time. Push-ups can be done at any level of fitness. Here's how to do a perfect push-up: From a face-down position, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Place your toes or knees on the floor, and try to create a perfect diagonal with your body, from the shoulders to the knees or feet. Keep the glutes [rear-end muscles] and abdominal engaged. Then lower and lift your body by bending and straightening your elbows, keeping your torso stable throughout. Abdominal Crunches
Experts say that when done correctly, the familiar crunch (along with its variations) is a good choice to target them. For a standard crunch, begin by lying on your back with feet flat on the floor and fingertips supporting your head. Press your low back down and begin the exercise by contracting abdominal and lifting first your head (tucking your chin slightly), then your neck, shoulders, and upper back off the floor. Crunches can be excellent, but if they're not done correctly, with the back arching, they can actually weaken the abdominal muscles. But keep in mind that you won't get a flat stomach with crunches alone. Burning belly fat requires the well-known formula of using up more calories than you take in. Pull-ups
A pull up is an upper body compound pulling exercise which uses the body weight to effectively strengthen and condition the muscles of the back and the biceps. In this exercise, the body is suspended by extended arms, then pulled up until the elbows are bent and the head is higher than the hands. This exercise can be performed with various grips and motions including behind the neck, in front of the neck, wide grip and closed reverse grip. Each variation uniquely targets and develops an area of the back and biceps. kalrasachin@hotmail.com |
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Action packed
Neha Dhupia is gearing up to play Adolf Hitler's love interest Eva Braun in the very first Bollywood film on the Nazi leader and actress. "It is exciting as well as quite hard to play a historical character, to exactly model yourself on her. I am watching DVDs, researching and will be working on my looks for the film," said Neha. Titled Dear Friend Hitler, the movie will be helmed by debutante director Rakesh Ranjan Kumar and veteran actor Anupam Kher is set to play the Fuhrer in the movie. "I will also be attending workshops with Anupam Kher. It is always very educative and entertaining to work with him," said Neha. The film, slated to go on floors next month, will tell the story of the fascist leader's final 10 days in his Berlin bunker. It was there, while the Soviet Army bombarded the German capital, that he married Braun in a brief civil ceremony about 40 hours before he killed himself on April 30, 1945. Neha, who has done in films like Delhi Heights, Singh Is Kinng and Mithya, is aware that Dear Friend Hitler is going to garner attention internationally and her portrayal of Braun can also invite comparisons. "This film is a more of an Indian version showing the last 10 days of Hitler's life. There might be comparisons, but I am looking forward to doing a good job in the film and right now not thinking too much about it," said Neha. The 29-year-old actress, who recently said that she wants to do action roles like Angelina Jolie in a film like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, has hosted the AXN Action awards for the third time this year. "It is exciting to be hosting the AXN Action awards since I love watching action movies. They need somebody with a strong personality and my association must have helped that is why I have been hosting it for three consecutive years now," said Neha. The action awards will be telecasted in a series of six episodes, first two being aired on June 12 & 13 at 10 pm. Neha is looking forward to doing some action roles herself and rues not being able to flex some muscle in a her upcoming film 'With Love to Obama', where she plays a thug. "There are no action scenes in With Love To Obama even though I play a thug. Its a film in the satire genre," said the former Miss India. Her last release was Raat Gayi Baat Gayi with Rajat Kapoor and Vinay Pathak. Neha will next be seen in Action Replayyy with Akshay Kumar and Aishwariya Rai. "Action Replay is a time travel film, there is no action even though the title might suggest so. It is a very colourful film. I can't really describe my character in it... you'll have to see what it comes out to be," said Neha. — PTI
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"This time we're distributing our songs for free. Come to our website, register yourself and the MP3 songs will be delivered to you. We will deliver one song in a month," said Rahul Ram, the band's bass guitarist and vocalist. The decision was taken by the band as they were unhappy with the music companies who are not ready to put out anything except film music. 16/320 Khajur Road, is it not a strange title -- it is close to us. The address is of a bungalow in Karol Bagh, where we used to practice since 1997. Music for Black Friday, Jhini, Khandisa, and these eight songs (of the lined album) were composed there," said Ram. The album has the last songs of Asheem Chakravarty, band's leading tabla player who died last year due to cardiac arrest. "The album is pretty emotional to us, Asheem gave 30 years of his life to the band. We are trying out people to fill his place, but no one fits into his shoes," said the band's vocalist and percussionist Amit Kilam. The band had been busy composing songs for films during their five-year-long hiatus, but none saw the light of day. "We composed songs for Bhoomi, which got stalled. Then there was Halla, which was taken out of theatres just after 3 days of release. We were composing for Anurag Kashyap's Shot, but the film has not begun shooting yet," Ram explained. The band's influences vary from social movements to Catholic prayers and the members say that their music is an expression of themselves. "I was closely associated with Narmada Bachao Andolan and that inspired me to compose the rustic song of valley 'Ma Reva' into a rock-fusion. 'Jhini' was for a movie Swaraj with a traditional touch. Khandisa, though we don't know the meaning of that song but the Syrian Catholic verses, inspired us. These songs were great success," said Kilam. "I was in my 20's, Ashemm was in early 30's when we released our first album (Indian Ocean) in 1993. Amit was just of 12-year-old. So we had balance and maturity in our band. This helped us to control our ego," said Ram. — PTI
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Fan fare
Actor Abhishek Bachchan, who hopped to seven locations across the city to promote Mani Ratnam's Raavan, was overwhelmed to see fans going crazy for him and said he never knew that so many people know him. "I like to promote my films myself. I want to go out to the audience and tell them about the film directly. It's a good fun. I was shocked by people's response. I never knew that so many people know me. Honestly. I was shocked to see so many people showed up," said Abhishek at a press conference at Cinemax Versova after a day-long tour Saturday. People across the road were seen shouting his names and clicking photographs from their mobile phones. Aishwarya Rai, who didn't accompany Abhishek during the rally as she was busy in other promotional activities, joined him at the conference. "I was also busy with other promotional activities. It was decided that Veera (Abhishek) and his troupe would be out. So I made sure that at the last stop I will come and join you all and meet you so that's how I am here. "This was during the course of the day, I was getting photographs. People were clicking and sending me and I realised that it was too much fun," said Aishwarya. Raavan features Aishwarya Rai as a dance teacher who is happily married to a policeman, played by Tamil superstar Vikram, and shows how Veera causes mayhem in their lives. Asked if she planning anything like Abhishek to connect with her audience, she just said, "Wait and watch. There are couple of days for the film to release, so wait and watch". Releasing Friday, the movie has been co-produced by Reliance BIG Pictures and Madras Talkies. — IANS
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British singer Lily Allen, who is moving away from the world of music, wants to completely fade out from public life after next year. The 25-year-old singer, who recently said she was giving up her music career to focus on a new fashion venture - says she hopes her future will see her being less and less involved in public life, a magazine reported. "I hope in a year's time I'm not gonna be asked to awards and I won't be nominated because I haven't put anything out there. And hopefully I can fade into oblivion," Allen said. The Smile hit maker insists, she plans to have children with her boyfriend Sam Cooper in the future. "I plan to have children in the next year, and because people have stopped buying music, the only way to make money is on tour and I'm just not willing to do that with babies around. "I'm the happiest I've ever been, suddenly I have a sense of who I am. Having Sam around gives me confidence,” she added. — PTI
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"That absolutely made my day when I read that because I'm a huge fan of hers," Swift said. In another interview, Gaga praised the 20-year-old country star for being "a great songwriter." "It's a great song! I think it's just because it's very whimsical in a way that I'm not necessarily whimsical every day," she said. And Swift returned the feelings, saying, "I'm a huge fan of hers and [hearing] that really, really made me smile. I appreciated that." Although they are in completely different genres, Swift says she admires Gaga for her daring style and music." I remember the first time I ever saw [Lady Gaga] on [MTV's] TRL. She had like a leotard on and I just thought to myself, that's so daring. Her music must be daring like that and [I] went home and I downloaded Just Dance," said Swift. — PTI
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Damon's ability to take a nap anywhere could be handy in the future as he is expecting to get even busier in his career. Speaking of his future ambitions, the 39-year-old actor said recently, "I want to direct someday and I can't really pass up the chance to work with the people I'm getting to work with. "I've worked with Paul Greengrass three times now, and Clint Eastwood twice, and Steven Soderbergh five or six times, and the Cohen Brothers. As long as that keeps happening, I can't see myself taking time off, unless the work dried up," he said. — PTI
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Kate Hudson has reportedly moved on from her split from baseball star Alex Rodriguez and is said to be dating British musician Matt Bellamy. According to sources, Hudson and the Muse front man started dating last month and plan to go public with their romance at Britain's legendary Glastonbury Festival later this month, when the band headlines the event, a website reported. "Matt has been over to America to hang out with Kate. But they have done everything they can to avoid being seen together in the early stages of their relationship," said an insider. "Things are going so well, Kate is planning to fly to the Britain to hang out with Matt at the festival. She wants to watch the band from the side of the stage and meet his pals," the insider added. — IANS
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FIFA 2010 is here creating ripples of excitement amongst one and all. Cashing on the soccer fever, which is at its peak amongst the sports enthusiasts in India, Lotto Sport Italia, recently launched the new Zhero Gravity Ultra, the only laceless football boot in the world, on occasion of FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa. Lotto Sport Italia, a leader in the production and distribution of footwear, apparel and accessories for sport, has created a distinct niche for itself in a short span since its foray in the Indian market. Lace Less: The absence of laces ensures a perfect fit to the shape of the foot and maximum sensitivity in controlling the ball. Lace Less technology wraps the foot like a glove and extends the contact surface of the entire upper without any element of disruption, ensuring complete contact with the ball and relative control for maximum precision. ReactiveArch: the first dynamic concave shaped sole that flexes, moving in unison with the natural deformation movement of the transversal arch in the forefoot. The benefits that are guaranteed by this new sole are: Stability when planting the foot, Maximum cushioning of the impact forces and Reactivity during thrust. Twist'ngo: a pivoting stud that enhances the athletes' performance and reduces the risk of injury by allowing the boot to follow the rotational movement by the athlete making the change in direction more natural and harmonious. The use of this technology brings important advantages in terms of Speed, Prevention/reduction of the risk of injury and Stability. Zhero Gravity Ultra in White/metal blue night color, is priced at Rs 9,999 and is available in select Lotto exclusive stores. — TNS
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Candle light experience
See any romantic film, candles will be an inevitable part of atleast one romantic scene. Adding a hint of sophistication even to the simplest affair. But then aren't they still undervalued as an art piece? And just to prove their worth, they come in different types, colours, shapes, fragrances that truly captivate your senses. Soy
Candles
Price-Rs.700 Floating Candles\Tea Light
Candles
Price- Rs25 to 400 Aromatic \ Scented
Candles
Some
Benefits
Orange, lemon, Green Apple Scented - Citrus fragrance improves mood and subtly boost your energy. Lavendar,
Sandalwood
To relax, it lowers blood pressure and gives a sense of peace. Mint- Creates a cheerful and clean feel in your home. Jasmine, Rose-For romantic mood Jai Gulati partner in Empire Stores-17 says, "We exclusively get scented candles from Pondicherry in different sizes (small, medium,large) in cylinder, round and pillar shapes with lavender , jasmine, rose, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom flavours." Price-Rs 25 to 1100 Chocolate
Candles
The color and chocolate is is so trendy and tasty. What is better than the aroma of a chocolate in a candle. It will put you and your significant other in agood mood. But don't eat them. Price-Rs.350 Available at-Empire Stores-17,Archies, Dewsuns, Fab India, Jagat Singh&Sons. |
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A bright day, hundreds of students sitting and painting along with their mentors - it was a scene straight out of Taare Zameen Par - that Rock Garden witnessed on Sunday morning. Sometimes life inspires art or vice versa, yet, it sure was a field day for some 1500 underprivileged kids that were part of Balakalakaar, an initiative by AIESEC and about a dozen NGOs from the Tricity.
Heya, Dude! Dope? Wudup?Nuffin much just chillin… homie
Any exercise program should include cardiovascular exercise, which strengthens the heart and burns calories. And walking is something you can do anywhere, anytime, with no equipment other than a good pair of shoes. Even the very fit can get a good workout from walking. Doing a brisk walk can burn up to 500 calories per hour. And since it takes 3,500 calories to lose a pound, you could expect to lose a pound for every seven hours you walk, if you did nothing else. Beginners should start by walking five to -10 minutes at a time, gradually moving up to at least 30 minutes per session. Don't add more than five minutes at a time. Also, it's better to lengthen your walks before boosting your speed or incline. 
After a long lull, 'Indian Ocean' is ready to rock music lovers with back to back releases, and this time it will be for free. The fusion band has composed for Aamir Khan's 'Peepli Live', and an album 16/320 Khajur Road, their first in five and half years after Black Friday, will be out in July, free to the fans.
Pop star Lady Gaga and country music sensation Taylor Swift have both confessed they are huge fans of each other's music. When Gaga, 24, recently said that she loves singing Swift's hit You Belong with Me at the top of her lungs, no one was more surprised or excited than the country singer herself, reported a magazine online.
Hollywood star Matt Damon has reportedly mastered the art of catching a quick nap while standing in between his busy work schedules. Much to the astonishment of onlookers, the 'Invictus' star was found enjoying a quick nap on his feet backstage at a recent Save the Children fundraiser in Greenwich, Connecticut, reported a magazine. "Someone asked him if he was ok, and Matt woke up. He explained he recently found out he can nod off on his feet," an onlooker said.
Why you need a candle??? Well, it's not a kindergarten question but a general curiosity hidden behind a simple but most undermined element. So, we need it for illumination, for just perfect setting at a romantic dinner, adding ambience and class to a living area, for the perfect Jacuzzi and spa experience, or just because they are pretty.
These soy candles are 100% natural and made from US soybeans. Produces no harmful carcinogens and 95% less soot. They are completely natural and biodegradable and have excellent scent throw. Available in different shapes and fragrances. Jagat Singh, owner of Jagat Singh& Sons says, "As people are becoming much more health and environment conscious, soy wax candles are a cleaner alternative."
One of the most popular candle. Made in natural, synthetic fiber. Available in any shape and colour and scented with different flavors. They make excellent table centerpieces for almost any occasion and adds ambience to setting. Flower floating candles Gardenia , Carnation, Periwinkle, Rose, Snowflake, Starfish are unique choices in this category. Shares, Sales Manager of Fab India-9, "We have hand made floating candles and these sell out the maximum. We have gift packs with wooden tray also. Just add coloured water, beads to the water bowl to have unique look."
As the name suggests these candles have fragrances in them. Offered in different shapes, designs, colors and fragrances. They are hand made and include natural essences. Fragrances released from these candles are inhaled and relieves you from many ailments.