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What an idea!
While running around to do the mundane, how many times do we think of doing something different? Dress different, act different, talk different, walk different….. No matter how tough it seems to us (lesser mortals do understand the sentiments here!), there are some inspiring examples that prove that all it takes to be different is to think differently!
Incongruent, unusual, creative, kitsch…call it whatever you want, these ideas became innovations as soon as they materialised. Hear it from city-based Charandeep Singh Kapoor, currently studying at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. The 21-year-old student at the institute has designed a hi-tech and hi-end tractor. Yeah, this one is for the real heroes of India (our farmers, not SRK's and Hrithik Roshans). "Having grown up in Punjab, I was always been fascinated by the strength and toughness of farm machines. Tractors have always been like boxes and I wanted to change their look and concept." Sure, and thinking out of the box, he changed the look of the box. "My design is called Stylo, inspired from the Iron Man. Rugged yet stylish." The design has the power machine with edgy exteriors like side rills inspired from Mercedes or Mc Laren cars, mudguards inspired from dirt bike designs and a sun protective roof. "I wanted the owner, the kissan, to be as proud as owner of a Merc or BMW. I plan to further enhance its features by adding music system and other devices." And this is how he says the farm machines of the future will look like. His futuristic design not only gave him a personal high but also won him the first prize at a global level Farmtrac competition that had participants coming from IITs and reputed institutes across India. But this is not the first time Charandeep has tried hands at ideas and innovation. "Prior to this I had participated in another competition where I worked on the re-designing of a leading global motor bike company. The highlight of my design was the Indian elements incorporated in it, the headlights inspired from a bindi and the tailights from Shivalingam. I got the second prize for my design," shares Charandeep. Well, if one got busy innovating with tools, the other has cashed in on technology albeit with an artist's mind. Harpreet Singh of Kreations Unlimited-44 has just combined the two, smoothly and smartly. "I never stressed on doing something different, it just happened." And it happened digitally. Printing solid surface may sound boring but when it's done creatively on surfaces like frosted glass, stainless steel, polycarbons, acrylics, even laptops and coffee mugs, it can be art in an interesting form. "I trained in Russia in the art of digitally printing solid surface. A layer of print is sprayed in such a way that it looks like a painting. Any solid surface can be turned into a piece of art by the process of digital surface printing." Three months into the business and he has already printed 50,000 sq ft of glass and other surfaces. But creating art from computer and printers is no joke and Harpreet explains why, "One it's expensive. This technology is rarely used in India. Second, it needs technological know how and the machine used, Neo UV LED Evolution, needs a lot of training." He has printed sunboard directly, which is the most difficult part of it. "We also create 3D effects, embossing and different shapes on the surface to bring out the designer feel. It is environment friendly too as the ink used is free from lead base." nehawalia@tribunemail.com
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Writing on the wall
A few days back a fellow colleague tossed up a debate amidst hardcore Bollywood fans who don't 'hate luv stories', but rather relish every bit of mush. 'Bollywood has lost its charm, how can anyone draw inspiration from such weird, mushy and dangerously rowdy sagas'? Of course, we weren't allowing her to walk away with it. Examples of Bollywood touching heart and soul engulfed her. But what convinced her was the simple work of an artist who painted signboards, white-washed and did other stuff before someone told him to join Government College of Art, Sector-10. Ranjit Dahiya, an NID pass out is earning name, fame and money, courtesy Bollywood. In the city to catch up with friends before leaving for France, where he has been invited to put up an exhibition on the journey of Bollywood, we get talking to this artist smitten by the long and brilliant history of Hindi cinema. The man paints huge wall posters and makes paintings inspired by Bollywood.
But before he shares his journey, he shows us samples of his work. Old Don movie combined with the new one, Amitabh Bachchan and the stoic impression of Sarkaar Raj, the grace and finesse of Rekha…Ranjit has captured emotions, grace, anger, and chirpiness of actors through the years. How can someone find a passion in the almost dying art of making wall posters? "Because I love it and I want to do everything for this art. MF Hussain has done quite a bit for it. And now, I am doing it," says Ranjit. Time for a flashback. "I would sketch on the walls of my house, paint signboards before joining Government College of Art. Thereafter, I went ahead to pursue NID in graphic design, and finally shifted to Mumbai to create something new," says Ranjit. "I knew Mumbai, the city of dreams was the only city where I could translate my dreams into reality. Sure it did," he smiles sharing how he met a girl on Facebook who invited people to paint in Mumbai under the online community The Wall Project." Ranjit joined the gang and painted to his heart's delight. "I painted a 32X12 size poster of Sarkaar Raj. I was ecstatic when Amitabh Bachchan came down to see it and admired my work," puts in the artist who feels doing posters by hand is not an easy task. "I have to collect references, and it is difficult to collect pictures of old actors. Capturing their expressions, highlighting fine details---neither overplaying nor underplaying---each poster is a challenge," he adds. Ranjit has his own design studio by the name 'Digital Mustache' (see picture if you are wondering why), but he is completely gung ho about the effort put in with hand painted work. "Technology has made life simpler, for the common man as well as the artist, but there is no substitute for passion," he smiles looking into the posters again. jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Bon Appetit
I had learnt to do a lot with raw mangoes at a really early age...namely, steal them from other people’s gardens! I need to defend myself here. I was only knee-high to the high and mighty grown-ups then. But I also need to confess that there is a delinquent delight in whacking fruit off any tree, especially when it stands rooted at the nearby neighbours’! For some strange reason not known to me, guavas taste sweeter when yanked off and stolen from a padosi! When you got caught, it was so easy to pretend you only picked up fruit that had fallen on to the grass! How naive we were, to trust that the defensive dialogue would be trusted! I suspect my friends shall not allow me near their back gardens anymore, starting from now?! I am sharing mango chutney recipes with you today, my favourite being a pachadi. It’s a Southern style delight with a twist where coconut, curry patta, heeng and mustard seeds are major participants. It’s chutney with a dual personality, akin to sambhar, and is delightful teemed with boiled rice or chapattis. Do not bypass the coconut oil in the recipe. It imparts a completely new dimension to the final product. The sweet mango chutney is also very versatile. Try it in a sandwich with lettuce and cheddar cheese and some sliced cucumber. 1-2 firm raw mangoes 1-1 ˝ cup sugar ˝ cup vinegar ˝ cup raisins (optional)
2tsp chili powder1tsp cardamom powder (moti ilaichi)1tsp pepper powderSalt to taste Method Wash, peel and grate the mangoes. You will get a little over a cupful and a half. Heat a kadhai, add the grated mango and sugar and let it come to a boil on a low heat. When the mixture looks semi cooked, pour in the vinegar and add the raisins (if using), cardamom, chili powder, pepper and salt. Simmer till a jam like consistency is acquired. Check the seasoning and add more salt or sugar if needed. If you need to add sugar, then bring the chutney to a boil once again. Cool and transfer into a clean dry jar. Mango Pachadi 4 medium raw mangoes
˝ cup grated coconut Salt to taste A pinch of heeng 1˝ tsp black mustard seed1 tbsp coconut oil2-3 dry red chillies1stem curry leaves Method Wash, peel and cut the mango into small cubes and cook with salt and heeng and a splash of water. Grind ˝ tsp of the mustard seeds and sprinkle onto the mangoes. Remove from the fire when the mango pieces are tender. Heat coconut oil and splutter the remaining mustard seeds followed by dry red chillies and curry leaves. Pour this fragrant, spicy oil over the prepared mango pachadi. Serve at room temperature. Quick Whizzed Mango Chutney 1cup cubes of peeled mango 1 small onion, chopped 1-2 green chillies Handful of mint leaves 1 tbsp aniseed (saunf) ˝ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi daana) Salt to taste Shakkar to taste Method Roast the methi daana in a pan without using oil. Cool and grind along with the saunf. Using a liquidiser, puree the mango, onion, chopped green chillies and mint along with salt and shakkar. Do not add water. Both the mangoes and onions will have enough water of their own to assist the blending process. Remove from the liquidiser and add methi and saunf powder to taste. This is delicious, fresh chutney but since it is not cooked, it has a very short shelf life. Make only a little at a time. |
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McDowell’s Signature, one of the fastest growing brands in the portfolio of Indian-owned drinks giant United Spirits Ltd (USL), has scooped Gold at the International Whisky Competition in Chicago. Beating all its rivals convincingly, the brand, which has yet again made India proud, took the award for the “blended whisky under 10 years old” category. McDowell’s Signature, which is now firmly established as the whisky of choice for the bold and the beautiful, is one of the primary whisky brands in USL’s portfolio. The brand has been growing consistently and currently stands at 23 per cent market share, showing why it is the leading brand in the premium whisky category. It sells more than one million cases every year. USL is the flagship company of Vijay Mallya owned UB Group, the largest spirits company in India and second largest in the world. UB is consistently growing market share across the globe, with a particular focus on established markets. Says Debashish Shyam, Business Head, USL, “We are delighted with this phenomenal win. This achievement further solidifies Signature’s position as our premium product in the whisky industry. The spirit of the bold and beautiful ia world-class blend, combined with unique packaging, makes it stand out against any of its competitors.” — TNS
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After much persuasion from megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood actor-producer Aamir Khan has finally decided to join micro-blogging website Twitter. "Aamir will be on Twitter from July 1. He was not on Twitter till now because he thought he won't be able to give enough time to it. But since Mr Bachchan insisted on him joining it, he gave it another thought and has decided to join it. He cannot say no to Mr.Bachchan," said a source close to the actor. Aamir met Amitabh and his wife Jaya over a casual dinner in London last week and Amitabh started persuading him to join the site. He even taught him how to send Tweets through his phone. The actor' username on Twitter would be aamir_khan. — IANS
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Rapid strides
How did you land up in Raavan? One day Mani Ratnam called me to his office and narrated the script. He asked me how good my Hindi was and I replied in Hindi that it was okay. After that I bagged the coveted role. How has Raavan shaped up? Wonderful! It has been a very demanding film. The most challenging film I have ever done. It is very special to me. I am confident that it's going to be fantastic. Tell us about your role? I play the role of Beera’s sister. It is one of the best roles of my career. How excited are you to share screen space with Abhishek? Abhishek Bachchan is Mani Ratnam's favourite. He is a very sensitive actor. I had a good experience working with him and feel so secure with him around. What lessons have you learnt in the film industry? All these years have made me realise my actual potential and capabilities as an actor. Entering films is a dream come true for everyone but it is not as easy as it seems. It is a lot of patience, hardwork and commitment. Are you nervous on the release of Raavan? Maybe, a little, but not too. I know people are expecting a lot from me. But I know I am going to live up to expectations. I am very confident. Upcoming projects? I have Ram Gopal Verma's Rakta Charitra opposite Suriya. Some projects are in the pipeline. I hope to bag more films in the near future. — Dharam Pal
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Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon and Tina Fey are among the other names that made the cut of people whose stars will be unveiled on the famous boardwalk next year. Thirty new stars will be unveiled in pink-and-black terrazzo, with recipients from the recording category include Melissa Etheridge, Los Tigres Del Norte and Rascal Flatts. — PTI
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Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts looks decades younger than her actual age thanks to some liberal airbrushing in the advertisement for a cosmetics giant. The 42-year-old actress is the face of Lancome cosmetics and the Pretty Woman star is barely recognisable as she advertises the brand's mascara, her brown wavy locks dyed blonde for the occasion. The mother-of-three who signed a deal worth a reported USD 20 million with the brand, sports a unnatural looking smooth face with not a wrinkle in sight. Heavy-handed air brushing of celebrities has come under attack in recent times, with many of the opinion that the perfect images cause an inferiority complex among women. The romcom queen meanwhile has been busy promoting her new film Eat, Pray, Love based on the best-selling novel by Elizabeth Gilbert. - PTI
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GOALMAAL
The fans are ecstatic and doing whatever they can (missing office, bunking classes, rescheduling holidays, sacrificing sleep and more) to be part of this grand global party. It is, perhaps, difficult to find someone still untouched by this madness that has engulfed the world. But if by any chance you have missed the initial bus, Lifestyle brings to you a guide that will help you make the most of this soccer mania. Home ground
If the big screens at eateries are out of your plans (or budget) how about enjoying each happening minute from the comfort of your home? Jatinder Singh Chauhan, who’s studying filmmaking in the city, has turned his apartment in Sector 20 into a virtual soccer zone. “I am backing Germany; Italy is a close favourite. Every night friends regularly join in this party sporting their teams’ respective jerseys,” says Jatinder whose room walls have posters of soccer stars all over. Being on his own helps Jatinder in more than one way. “Since it’s an all boys zone, late timing is no problem nor is the volume,” he smiles. Midnight snacking
When the match is on, no one wants to dash to the kitchen to grab a bite, so prior organising helps. Here are some tips from our culinary expert Kandla Nijhowne, “A mixed fruit chaat, laced with lemon juice and chaat masala would be filling and yet not fattening. A brown bread sandwich, prepared earlier, using crunchy salad leaves, cheese, chicken or tomatoes is also substantial.” As for drinks, here is what she suggests, “One could whizz up a smoothie with yogurt, sliced mango or ripe peaches and stick it in the fridge for chilling. Its tangy, refreshing taste will satisfy the belly without being too heavy.” One needs to be on guard lest this four-week soccer festival leaves you with serious health problems. True colours
Well, soccer enthusiasts love to wear their love on sleeves. Here is what Siddhant Kant, a law student from Sector 9, Panchkula, has to say, “I sport Spain’s jersey for my love for the team. I have been following the m for last 10 years.” Siddhant, who plays soccer for his college team, is hopeful that Spain lifts the cup this time. If you are yet to buy your team’s dress, check out FIFA apparel at Nike, Adidas, Puma and V-Mart stores. “It Brazil’s yellow jerseys and Messy’s number 10 that are the most sought after,” says a salesman at Adidas-17. Sports anthem
Waka Waka (This time for Africa) is the official song for FIFA 2010. Shakira along with South African group Freshlyground performed the song at the inaugural ceremony. “No other game but soccer gets an official song, which stamps the fact that this is the number one game,” says Rakesh Bohra from the city. “Celebrities vie with each other to get this honour,” adds Rakesh whose personal favourite is Ricky Martin’s Uno, Dos, Tres. Waka Waka also stands for fans’ true spirit. Watch out
Soccer players are demigods and living up to fans’ expectations is not easy. As for our city favourites, Pooja Gosain, a football enthusiast who plays for the university, is rooting for Christiano Ronaldo, Drogba, Kaka , Rooney and Messy. The list is the same for Rakesh as well; only addition being Thierry Henry. So, go ahead enjoy this sporting extravaganza the way you want! mona@tribunemail.com |
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Net alliance
Jatin looks adventurous; Mehak highly opinionated; Nikhil's cocky sometimes; Vivek almost a pervert; Preeti is pretty fun loving and much more!!!Interestingly, these are not opinions based on personal experiences; rather this is what people infer about others from facebook and Orkut profiles. Apart from bringing controversial elements like Tharoor, Modi et al to limelight; social networking sites like Twitter, facebook and others are proving their worth elsewhere too. The sites that offer varied features, right from networking to a variety of applications and games, have almost become a scrutiny portal for many. Gone are the days when horoscopes and 'well-wishers' of the family dominated marriage decisions. Youngsters these days prefer their self-styled ways for analysing their prospective matches. Says Tamanna Arora (25), a media professional, who's hunting for husband-material for herself, "I prefer to search the guys' profiles on facebook, Orkut or Twitter before going ahead with the marriage procedure. One's friends list, status messages and activities online says a lot about his personality and psychology, if not all at least 40 per cent." But, to what extent does the profile-portrayed personality influences big decisions like marriage can only be determined by the some practical experiences. "I have rejected three boys just on this basis. Initially, even I felt its not logical to figure out a person from his profile, but my perception changed the moment I started surfing through their profiles," shares Tamanna. Priyanka Talwar (25), an MBA student, on the other hand feels that people present a fake personality online so one should never consider FB or Orkut profiles as authentic information when taking a significant decision like marriage. "I mostly post messages and things I hardly do in reality; and the same I perceive of most people leading a virtual life," Priyanka adds. Psychology, too, plays a vital role in social networking and the way it influences people; completely or partially — it differs from an individual to individual. "Since the significance of this decision is huge, virtual profiles are bound to influence the minds of those surfing online fro a life partner," says Harpreet, head, Department of Psychology, PU, Chandigarh. But what about the authenticity of these profiles? She says, "One cannot fake around always because if the inner core of a person is scattered, it will reflect eventually online too. Are people aware that they are being rejected on this basis? Says Varunjesh Bhambri (30), a BPO senior executive, who got married in April this year, "People are most likely unaware of the fact that their profiles can create or damage their projection so they don't really bother while putting anything online." Pitches in Tamanna, "The person may be actually different from the portrayed virtual personality, but after all it's about getting married. Even if I had liked any one of them in person; the virtually reflected impact would have lurked on my mind always." Says Dr Sandeep Chatwal, a city-based psychologist, "Majority of the people on sites like facebook, Orkut are faking so you really cannot analyse a person. But, for a crucial step like marriage, the profiles will impact another person's mind to a great extent." "To know it you got to try it out, so go online and get set to reject and accept proposals!!!" Nayala (24), a content writer finishes the debate with an announcement.
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Dear dad
When there is so much happening on Valentine’s Day, Friendship’s Day, Children’s Day, Teacher’s Day…one wonders why all the excitement is missing on Father’s Day? Come, let’s have a blast this Father’s Day on June 20. Special days deserve special ideas. So here are some. Gifts, of course, are inevitable, but an unforgettable one is sure a keepsake. And there are ample options available in the market. Says Harpreet, owner of Archies Gallery, Sector-22, “We have a wide range of gifts for Father’s Day. This year the collection is altogether different and people are liking it a lot. Photo frames ranging from Rs 250 to Rs 2,500 are a hit with buyers. Other exciting gifts include coffee mugs, lamps, scented wine bottle, candles, etc.” And if you are the creative kinds, prepare a gift yourself. Making cards and decorating them can be done easily. Another great idea is to make a personalized box, such as a pen stand, with a Father’s Day message on it. Photo frames can also be painted at home. Says Reena, resident of Sector-22, “This time I am planning to make a pen stand for his office table. My father has a good collection of pens.” Gifts over, now’s the time for celebration. And one can organise a surprise party, go out for a movie or just be at home with the family. Says Amit, 27, an employee of Desh Bhagat Institute, “My father is the most important person in my life and I feel this is the perfect day to make him feel special. I will take him out for dinner and gift him a wine bottle.” Adds Anu Joshi, 25, resident of Sector-12, Panchkula, “I have plans of inviting all my dad’s colleagues to my house and give him a surprise.” So, go ahead, make the fathers feel special.
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AirNet Mobile, with its array of products richly carved in style and equipped with technological brilliance, has introduced for the first time, a dual sim handset with T flash card support, a 2.4 inch touch screen with a Bluetooth and super high life battery. The handset is easy to use and carry, sleek design making it a style statement comparable to any other high-end smart phone. The high clarity widescreen is essential for those who love watching videos and movies with its full MP4/MP3 playback system making mobile movie watching an experience. The USP of this phone is a very powerful battery (2600 mAh) which makes it highest capacity phone in India.This powerhouse offers a standby time of 60 days. This makes it a darling for all those hailing from electricity deficient areas. AN 90 would also be a boon for all those having high usage of mobile phone. Not only this its dual camera one can capture all the special moments in style. Add on feature of a radio, one can tune in to its FM station and be in the groove with the best of music. Its expandable memory up to 2GB enables everyone to go beyond the restrictions of physical space and quality loudspeaker lets one party harder anywhere, anytime. Album and e-book reader makes AN90 one of the most sought mobiles devices amongst the other players. According to Raj K Tarani, MD, AirNet Mobile, "With AirNet AN 90, we have tried to move ahead with a new design to meet the increasing demands of our valuable consumers. We have blended quality with high end technology at the most reasonable price." With the launch of AN 90, AirNet Mobile is all set to provide the Indian mobile users another handset with the latest technologies and stylized experience being readily available in the Tier1 and Tier2 cities. — TNS
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Right click
"Inspired by my eldest brother, Brij Mohan Sapru, I developed a keen interest in photography since I was 13. And my interest has been increasing over the years." He adds, "I was introduced to Photographic Society of America (PSA) by my brother and sister-in-law in 1998 and they sponsored my trip to the US in 1999. I never looked back since then." Sapru returned to India with a bag full of photographs and held his first solo show titled 'US Kaleidoscope' in collaboration with the Department of Fine Arts, Panjab University, at its Fine Arts Museum in November 1999. Recognising his achievements in the field of photography, the Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Department of the Chandigarh Administration published his biography in October 2007 issue of its official journal - 'The Open Hand'. Sapru also has to his credit as many as 200 acceptances of photographs in exhibitions approved or recognised by prominent photographic organisations. He received the 'First Bronze Star' in 2006-2007 and a 'two-star rating' in the Photojournalism Division of PSA for prints in 2003. Recently, the PSA featured him in its official journal, which has readers in as many as 70 countries. How did the idea of 'solar eclipses photography fair' strike him? "In June 2010, the PSA journal published a three-page feature written by me titled 'Solar Eclipse-Opportunity for images of human interest'…that's how idea struck me. I want to inspire world photographers to add some human interest elements in their photos." Sapru took eight images at Kurukshetra Solar Eclipse Fair, which got published as the three-page feature. His pictures of the 'Bhram Sarover' in Kurukshetra won him international acclaim. "Publishing features and photographs in an international magazine is an achievement in itself," he signs off.
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Hot & Sweet Mango Chutney
june 4 born Priyamani, a top actress in the South, makes her entry into Bollywood with Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starrer Raavan. The stylish, glamourous beauty from Bengalaru is Bollywood actress Vidya Balan's first cousin. She won the National Award for South's hit film Paruthi Veeran. Priyamani talks to Lifestyle on her first Hindi movie and career.
Oscar winning actress Penelope Cruz, TV mogul Oprah Winfrey and Black Eyed Peas frontman
Will.I.Am are among the 30 celebrities who will have their names etched on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The mahakumbh of football has begun. From Waka Waka to vuvuzelas, FIFA fever is sweeping the planet.
Adding to its portfolio of technologically advanced and cost effective range of mobile handsets, AirNet Mobile, one of India's youngest and fastest growing mobile handset company, has launched its dual sim phone AN 90. Envisaged with stylish looks and multi-faceted features, AN 90 is priced at Rs 3099.
A single picture conveys more than a thousand words. And the fact is amply proved by renowned photographer Subash Sapru, deputy director, Haryana Information, Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Department, through his work.