When its about Punjabis and Punjabiyat, who minds overwhelming emotions, heavy dose of love for the soil, dash of maa boli and a pinch of drama, whether a movie, music album or even a magazine launch! So, when we had Daler Mehndi in an activist avatar at the launch of a Punjabi magazine, G Asia, we got the idea.

And he was every bit as expected — a hardcore Punjabi, star singer and a brand ambassador of Punjabiyat. "I am open to anything related to the promotion of Punjabiyat around the world. Whether through my songs or my efforts, I have always associated myself with the promotion of Punjabi culture and heritage," says the singer.

Daler is doing his bit with what he knows the best - music. "Respecting your language is very important. I have travelled to many countries for shows and found that the people respect their local language. We have to treat Punjabi with the same attitude." But with Punjabi music industry dominated by the new age 'imported singers', born and brought up outside India, he has nothing but the positives to emphasise, "These artistes are influenced by global trends. So, you have a lot of hip-hop, fusion, R&B in their music. But the fact that they are representing the language in their own way is commendable."

Part of the culture promotions happen with Bollywood as well. With the number of Punjabi singers finding playback options in B-town, Daler too has found his ground. His most recent track was for Khatta Meetha. "Bollywood is a good platform for Punjabi singers." And Daler has carved a niche for himself now. "I have sung in over 10 regional languages, including Tamil, Telegu, Persian, Bhojpuri, Marathi and even Afghani. I am planning to sing in Bengali now."

Versatility personified? But that's not the word he uses for Punjabi singers in Bollywood, "Punjabi singing has been limited to just a particular style and lacks the actual flavour. Surinder Kaur had sung 'lathe di chaadar' in six-beat format and nobody has done that again till date. There should be more original creations.' Albeit personally, he likes live shows better than studios, "You are an honest performer at live shows," he avers.

Currently focussed on his new role of being a mentor in Zee TV's music reality show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Daler is excited to work with a bunch of young talented singers from across the country and the border. "The show has singers from India and Pakistan. As a mentor my advice to them will be to cross the boundaries and sing without fear. We are not claiming to give the best playback singer to Bollywood, but a singer who is versatile and complete in all respects." nehawalia@tribunemail.com

Buy it or not, each one of us, at any given point in a day, is surrounded by 'incredibly smart' people…doctorates in manipulation and strategy planning! And they are scattered everywhere.

Let's go to the next level now. How do you deal with such people? Simple, throw an SMS to UTV Bindass' season 2 show Emotional Atyachaar and see if they can help out. For the moment, take a clue from the anchor of the show Pravesh Rana. In the city to announce the reality show, the former Mr India has a candid answer: "Trust is the basis of a relationship. If you think the person is not trustworthy, don't form any liaison with him or her," says Pravesh. "Besides, I don't have any girlfriend, so I don't have to think about it," he flashes a contended smile. Thank god for the small mercies!

Talking about mercies, this television actor knows how it feels to be bathing under those! He got selected out of almost one lakh people who auditioned for the reality show Bigg Boss 3 and also made it to the final three. "It was quite an experience. But I don't want to sound 'plastic' by saying it has changed my life," says Pravesh, but I have picked a tip or two on how to handle situations. Imagine staying in a place for three months without any contact with the outside world."

Bickering, mud-slinging, plotting, he savoured and survived it all. "Yes, because I strongly believe in speaking my mind. No sweet talk. If I like it, I express it, if I don't, I politely voice that opinion too," says this actor from Meerut, who as of now lets his feet touch the ground, till… "Till one fine day when Pravesh is bit by the fame bug," he completes our sentence. "Should that change me as a person? No, not at all. Fame wouldn't make me different from the rest of the lot. I would get a little more attention than before, but I would never change," adds Parvesh, a popular Emcee, credited for hosting 600-odd shows.

"My parents, siblings and friends would ensure I don't fly," he adds. Television has already given you wings, up to you how you make use of it! "I have always wanted to host shows on television. At the same time, I don't see myself as a part of the rona dhona on telly. Not my cup of tea," says Pravesh.

So, what's your choice? "Real stuff, like realistic movies coming from Vishal Bhardwaj and Dibankar Banerjee. It is difficult to fathom why characters on daily soaps cry their heart out. Life is a heady mix of sadness and happiness, and I want to experience the same through my work, whether on television or films."

Emotional Atyachaar is just the place then; you are sure to witness the good and bad, sad and the happy, trust and mistrust. "This is exactly the reason why I am a part of it," adds the actor. jasmine@tribunemail.com

Till the Olympic bronze medal, boxer Vijender Singh knew nothing of brand endorsements and magazine cover shoots. But now, India had a new poster boy from the world of sports. And the latest to his list of endorsements is the Commonwealth Games-2010.

"It feels really great to be representing what I know the best. And since its home ground, its an added advantage," says the newly announced brand ambassador of the Games. The six chosen ones include shooters Abhinav Bindra and Samresh Jung, badminton player Saina Nehwal, female boxer MC Mary Kom and wrestler Sushil Kumar, along with Vijender.

And the fact that the representation was not outsourced to Bollywood comes as a welcome change. "It's a big thing for sports to have their own representatives. It is but fair." Apart from being the face of the Games, he has bigger responsibilities waiting, "We are aiming to win as many medals as we can." And for that he is all geared up. "I am preparing well, physically as well as mentally. After the Olympics, we have been groomed well to handle the stress. It doesn't bother me now."

Ask him about another achievement Indian sports witnessed on Thursday, Sachin's double hundred in the test against Sri Lanka, and he says, "He is a great sportsman and it's an honour for the country to have him playing." As for other queries, his reaction is straight, "I don't know much about cricket." When its Vijender Singh, the conversation has to end with a punch! 

Every time an Emraan Hashmi film is slated for release, the whole 'serial kisser' hype starts all over again. He has never done anything that can be described as 'routine'. After Jannat and Raaz — The Mystery Continues, another Emraan Hashmi movie Once Upon A Time in Mumbai is releasing this Friday. The movie has been directed by Milan Luthria of Kachche Dhaage and Hattrick fame. Lifestyle catches up with Emraan.

How different is this film from what you have done before?

It is a very different, more intense and well-etched. I am once again going to redefine Emraan Hashmi. I will make you forget the past and be back in a bigger way.

The film is set in the '70s and yet the title is Once Upon A Time in Mumbai?

Yes, I did find it strange because if we talk about '70s the city was called Bombay, while it is Mumbai now.

Parallels are being drawn to the film's characters and underworld dons of the 1970s. Any comments?

We have not made any kind of biopic on anyone.

So what is the film about?

The film looks at the '70s, when the mafia ruled. Gangsters like Haji Mastaan, Karim Lala, Yusuf Pathan, were active and flashy cars, bell-bottoms and ostentatious hairstyles were the order of the day. It is a kind of period film, which will recreate that era.

Tell us about your character?

I play Ajay Devgan's protégé Shoaib, a gangster in this period film. I have invented myself for the role of the evil underworld prince. It is a very different character.

Is there any competition between you and Ajay Devgan?

When you are working together it is not that you are competing with each other. If I work well then my work will compliment my co-actors. And if he does good work, it will complement my work.

Your upcoming projects?

Mohit Suri's Crook, Madhur Bhandarkar's light-hearted film Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji and Milan Luthria's untitled fast paced, slick edgy action thriller.

— Dharam Pal

Not everyone swears by Bollywood heartthrob Salman Khan's dancing prowess. But his choreographer for the movie Dabangg says he has become technically strong and even gives his own inputs.

"This is not the first time I am working with Salman. I've worked with him even earlier when I used to be an assistant with Ganesh Acharya. But now he has changed; today he is technically stronger. He also gives his inputs for steps," Shabina Khan Ansari said.

Dabangg, a film set in a small town of Uttar Pradesh, will feature Salman in the role of a cop. His younger brother and actor Arbaaz Khan has produced the film while Abhinav Kashyap is the director. The film is slated for a September release.

Ansari has choreographed two songs in the film, a romantic track and a hardcore dance number. She gave Salman steps suiting his character.

"I created steps for Salman keeping in mind his character and image. He is playing a cop in the film, so I didn't want his moves to be professional like a dancer's. He plays a straightforward person in the film; we kept all that in mind," said the choreographer.

"Even Salman really pushed himself. Everyone liked his dancing in Wanted; so he wanted to improve upon that," she added.

So what's the strong point in Salman's dancing? "It's his style," said Ansari, without a second thought.

"He has his own way of doing steps. Even if I teach him something, he will do it in his own way. But it actually comes out to be nice and audiences love it," she added.

Dabangg, which has music by Sajid-Wajid, also stars Sonakshi Sinha, the daughter of veteran actor Shatughan Sinha. However, she doesn't get to shake a leg in the film.

"Sonakshi will not be seen dancing in the film. Her character doesn't demand that, but even in the romantic song, where you see her moving a little, you can see rhythm in her body. She has a music sense and I'm sure she will be a great dancer," Ansari said.

She has over 12 years' experience and has been part of several Ram Gopal Varma projects such as Company, Bhoot, Naach and Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon.

She has also worked on films like Jashan, Yahaan, Aksar and Well Done Abba among others.

Currently the choreographer has her kitty full with projects like Kajraare, which is close to release, Chai Garam and Will You Marry Me. — IANS

Film: Once Upon A Time In Mumbai

Director: Milan Luthria

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Emraan Hashmi, Kangna Ranaut, Prachi Desai, Randeep Hooda

Diector Milan Luthria's ambitions project Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, a film based on Mumbai's famous underworld of the '70s was a big challenge for the director to sketch out the looks of the actors. The director teams up with Ajay Devgan after her debut film Kachche Dhaage. Ajay Devgan and Emraan Hashmi play gangsters in this period film.

Kangna Ranaut and Prachi Desai play lead roles along with Randeep Hooda. It's being shot at Mumbai's locations like Kabutarkhana, Fort, Senri, Dongri and Dockyard Road. Art director Nitin Desai has done a marvelous job for this film which will bring back the bygone era in a contemporary way. This one is produced by Ekta Kapoor.

— Dharam Pal

After showcasing her svelte figure in films like Fashion and Dostana, Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra is set to sport a grungy look to host Colors' adventure reality show Fear Factor - Khatron Ke Khiladi 3.The 28-year-old actor wore denim hot pants teamed with a broad belt, knee-length boots, a cropped yellow top with a black leather biker jacket and gloves for the first promo, a statement said.Her look has been created by Bollywood stylist and fashion designer Anaita Shroff Adajania, who earlier styled for the Dhoom franchise as well as Race.

Priyanka was in Bangkok recently to shoot the promo.The first look is expected to air on the channel early next week. It shows Priyanka in a chase sequence on bikes with male bikers.Khatron Ke Khiladi 3 will have 13 male celebrities competing against each other on dangerous tasks in Brazil.The last two seasons of the show were hosted by action star Akshay Kumar. — IANS

Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh was hit with a broom by none other than director Pradeep Sarkar on the sets of his forthcoming film Lafangey Parindey.According to a source, the scene required Deepika Padukone to first beat Neil and his friends with a broom and then throw a pail of water on them. But Pradeep wasn't happy with her performance and decided to demonstrate the scene himself.

"He insisted that Deepika was not doing the scene correctly. So he picked up a jhaadu (broom) and hit Neil on his bums. He stood holding his bums while Deepika and the whole unit burst into laughter," said the source from the sets.Yash Raj Films' Lafangey Parindey, releasing August 20, is the story of a group of youngsters living in the back streets of Mumbai. It will see Neil playing a boxer who fights blindfolded, while Deepika will be seen as a visually-challenged girl who can dance on skates. —IANS

Pakistani sufi singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, who has sung some melodious Bollywood numbers in the recent past, says he was extremely happy to see how Indian immigration officials have started recognising him and don't create any problems.During the shoot of Star Plus' new reality show Chhote Ustaad, the singer explained the importance of the unique platform given to the young contestants from Pakistan and spoke about how these budding singers should transcend barriers with their music.

Rahat narrated a personal experience and said: "It is usual for the Pakistani officials to be acquainted with me, but I was taken by surprise when even the Indian immigration officials started recognising me. It was a proud moment for me as I realised for the first time that music can truly transcend barriers". — IANS

Angelina Jolie and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Hollywood's two leading ladies have locked horns to play Elizabeth Taylor in a major new biopic of her life. Jolie, 35, is hoping that her notoriety will give her the edge. Like Taylor, she has become known as the husband-stealer. 

She famously enticed Brad Pitt away from his wife, Jennifer Aniston. — Agency

The paintings of the Ellora caves in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, are losing their gleam due to rainwater seepage in the caves. Apart from seepage and rock falls, even the lights installed inside the Ellora caves are damaging the sculptures. The paintings are being affected by moisture, and with the immediate effect that the paintings are turning black.

"Seepage problem is a two-way trouble. One if you remove the tree or the herb, the micro-holes of that root, they penetrate up to the sculpture, and though we try to seal them, it is very difficult to seal every hole or every penetration. Sometimes it is as it is - micro; it is beyond the limitations of correcting methods or correction, therefore the water makes it way and the seepage starts," said R S Morwanchikar, a historian.

The government has planned to construct drains in all the caves of Ellora to avoid seepage and further destruction of the sculptures, particularly during the monsoons.

The ancient Ellora caves are a World Heritage Site and were constructed between the fifth and tenth centuries AD. At Ellora, there are 34 famous temples carved out of stone. The cave temples of Ellora are divided into three groups, belonging to three periods- Buddhist, Hindu and Jain.

"At Ellora you can see that Buddhism, Brahmanism, Hinduism and Jainism; along with this the Sufi activities at Khuldabad, they go together. Everybody is bent upon passing the message of peace and love," said Morwanchikar. Paintings in Ellora show Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Shiva, among other deities, but few such murals in the caves are well preserved. — ANI

In its endeavour to offer world-class technology to its consumers, Toshiba has launched its new range of LED TVs in the Indian market. The new Toshiba REGZA backlit LED TVs XL700 series comes in three sizes, 138.7cms (55XL700E), 117.5cms (47XL700E) and 106.7cms (42XL700E) and will continue to amaze you with its power-packed Toshiba technologies. With a metallic-feel finishing bezel, and slim design, the XL700 makes your living room look better.

The XL700 series aims to create a better visual performance by producing better details, better gradation and better clarity. With Toshiba’s proprietary Resolution+ technology, the details of images are drastically improved through complex analysis and refinement during the up conversion process. Coupled with its brilliant Meta Brain Premium Video Engine and its blazing-fast 14-bit video processing, the gradation of images has never looked better on your big screen until the XL700 came. The XL700 Series also features Auto Signal Booster to compensate for areas where the signal reception is weak, giving you better clarity.  The result is excellent picture quality at all times no matter where your TV is placed.

Speaking on Toshiba’s recent association with Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, Kenji Urai, Managing Director, Toshiba India Private Limited said, “We have constantly directed our efforts towards providing products which are a mix of technology, style and quality. Delivering best of the technology and path breaking innovation has always been our priority. Our new Regza series aims at redefining the TV viewing experience in India. We are confident that our association with Sachin will further strengthen our brand positioning in the Indian subcontinent and will enhance our brand recall across the various segments.”  

This edge LED-backlit XL700 Series is also equipped with a host of other innovative technologies that shape the superior audio and video quality that one has come to expect from Toshiba. ClearScan Pro100 produces smoother images by eliminating motion blur while Autoview uses a built-in ambient light sensor and intelligent algorithms to ensure that whatever the lighting or time of day, your TV picture parameters are adjusted for optimal viewing. These are complemented by Toshiba’s Intelligent Backlight Control technology, which allows automatic adjustment of the backlight behind the pixel array using a sophisticated histogram analysis to give you deeper blacks, finer gradations and higher contrast. —TNS

Videocon group, unveils its latest innovation with the launch of a revolutionary range of tilt tub washing machines.The Videocon careen range comprises of two fully automated models and feature several of the latest washing machine technologies, including anti-foam sensor, air-wash technology, sterilisation programme, child lock, eight wash programmes and door lock. The new range is a perfect blend of style and technology designed with a tilt-tub to make loading of clothes easy without any bending.

The machine frame of the Videocon Careen range has been heightened to make the loading and removing of clothes convenient and comfortable. The unique tilt-tub design brings together the advantages of both top and front load machines – saving water and detergent while enabling a wash cycle that removes dirt and bacteria with greater efficiency. The Videocon Careen range is fitted with a Direct Drive motor, which yields improved efficiency without creating any noise while washing clothes.

The Careen Plus features a wash capacity of 6.5kgs, and is priced at Rs 36,990 and the Careen, which has a wash capacity of 6.2 kgs and is priced at Rs 29,990.

According to Jaideep Rathore, chief marketing officer – Consumer Electronics & Home Appliances Business, Videocon Group said, “The Videocon Careen tilt tub range of washing machines has been designed keeping in mind the needs of the Indian consumer. Our range of unique tilt-tub machines not only offers an excellent solution to this core audience but also enables an excellent wash.” —TNS 

In this whole world there is at least one person who bears your exact resemblance, they say. And for our city’s Dr Deepti, it’s famous choreographer Saroj Khan. Courtesy this resemblance or stroke of luck, she landed up a role in Kangana Ranaut and Madhavan starrer Tanu Weds Manu, scheduled for release this September.

“I went for the auditions, being held in the city, with my daughter Konica who aspires to be an actor,” shares Dr Deepti. Later, not only did Konica get a role in the movie, but also her mother!

“I belong to an orthodox Brahmin family and my family was not open to singing, dancing and acting as a career. But I guess dreams do come true; for me it came a bit late,” says Dr Deepti, who plays bua to the bride (Eijaz Khan) in the flick. “On the sets, everyone, including the director, addressed me as bua and I even had the chance to be with Saroj Khan,” exclaims Dr Deepti, who loved the whole experience.

Recipient of state and national awards for social service, Dr Deepti is active in music, drama and fashion scene in the city. As for what comes closest to her heart, “Its the almighty. I am very spiritually inclined and believe that the almighty helps one achieve whatever one desires.”

mona@tribunemail.com