Even though television celebrities would take a while to admit this - every soap, every character, every dialogue, every costume and every set looks the same. No matter on how 'different' a note the soap starts with, it eventually takes the same old route, following the same high voltage drama without fail. As for television actors, either they become part of the rut - adding layers of pancake with each passing day, bedecking with garish rounds of jewellery and shouting their lungs out - or they take a 'real' different path, which is risky. On a private visit to the city one such actor who wooed the Indian audiences, that celebrates tears rolling down the cheeks of their onscreen actors, Yami Gautam from Yeh Pyar Na Hoga Kam gladly made a choice without any regrets.

"I wanted to take a break from television, which I am doing right now. I respect the medium because it gave me a lot of popularity. When it comes to exploring my potential as an actor, I think there are other avenues that I need to explore," she says without sounding in a hurry to make a mark.

Other avenues? Do we see her knocking at Bollywood? Yami is already working in Ek Noor, a movie based on the message of organ donation. "I am not in a hurry to be 'there.' Of course, as an actor I need to do well, do various roles and get my share of the thing, but only with stuff that has meaning to it. With Yeh Pyar No Hoga Kam, the serial started on a different note, but towards the end I was made to sob endlessly in a sari," she smiles.

She is quick to continue lest we reach any inference! "Television industry is not to be blamed for this, nor the actors. Time is a commodity, which no one wants to waste. Scenes are to be shot immediately; actors have to go from one set to another. Where is the time for experimentation?"

So, it is 'substance' that the actor craves for. Gotcha! Laughs, "The reason I associated with Ek Noor is because it has a strong storyline and a message, which adds value to the flick. I play the little protagonist when she grows up and how her life changes in a series of events that follow," shares Yami.

"Till we give the audience a subject like this, how can we establish a market?" Movies with substance, sounds risky for a starter! "The answer lies in balance. I feel I have gained whatever I had to from television, now there isn't more as of now. I am doing some commercials Down South, which is something I can learn from," says Yami, without any remorse or regret. "No doubt films mean more glamour and popularity. An actor needs a challenge to perform as well," she flashes a soft smile, not making an effort to sound real!

jasmine@tribunemail.com

This comes as bad news for all those who have been waiting for the festival bonus to avail various offers and discounts this season. Hit hard by rising input costs and low sales, most white goods and electronic companies have decided to do away with the festival discount offers this year.

Most of the companies, including Samsung, LG and Philips India, have decided that they will not offer any discounts on their products. They have also decided not to offer freebies to woo customers and jack up their sales. With the input costs having shot up by 15 per cent in the past couple of months (because of hike in steel, aluminum and copper prices), the profit margins for the companies have been squeezed.

This year, most consumer goods and appliance manufacturers have already hiked prices of their products by three to four per cent. In fact, the price hike has been affected in two phases, so as not to impact their sales.

Vivek Sharma, chief marketing officer, Philips India, confirms that this year the company would not offer any festival discounts. "The input costs have shot up drastically, while the hike in retail price products is not commensurate with the input hike. The festival discounts would put further strain on the already shrinking profit margins," he says.

Adds Ravinder Zutshi, deputy managing director of Samsung India, "This year, there will be no freebies or price cut for the festival season. The emphasis will be on launching new products around festival time to woo customers." Zutshi, who is also the chairman of Consumer Electronics and Appliance Manufacturers Association, adds that they were even planning to take up the issue in the Association and urge members not to offer discounts.

LG Electronics has also decided not to offer any festival discounts this year. A company spokesperson informs that they will be launching new products in the premium category and offering value addition in terms of good services.

With inflation looming around 12 per cent, the buying capacity of consumers has been drastically reduced. The household budget having shot up because of hike in food and fuel prices, the consumers have been putting on hold their decision to buy new products or upgrade their televisions, refrigerators, washing machines et al. The companies are now hoping that the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission will bring more money in the market and thus help in increasing their growth in volumes.

ruchika@tribunemail.com

There's music reverberating through the college gates, a little closer there're swings, fountain, tents; a few steps above and there's a cultural and colourful extravaganza spread over one place, three venues, eight colleges, 12 events. Save for negligible hitches and less hype of the event, day one of the Panjab University Youth and Heritage Festival at Government College for Girls-42 was as colourful as it gets…as colourful as any activity stereotypically associated with girls permits…further dotted the quintessential traditional touch. Think phulkari, cross-stitch, pakhi designing, crochet work, knitting, rangoli, mehandi!

True to tradition, just at the entrance there are colourful patterns welcoming the restricted visitors; among the rangoli patterns, the flower patterns and the Ganesh-inspired designs appear the absolute favourites. There's one peacock as well. "I used only coloured rice rather than the colours to make rangoli because it looks a little different and spreads neatly over the area. I have been making it for two hours now," shares Anuradha from GGSCW-26.

As for the henna application, did the pattern and the petals all look strikingly similar on the hands stretching up to wrists? Shares Balbir Kaur, faculty home science, "We've given the theme Bridal for the mehandi application and we'll be judging them on the design, how much have the participants stuck to the theme and the neatness of the entire pattern on the hand."

Meanwhile, the instructions continue loud and clear - 'All the participants please stand on one side, volunteers on the other; let the judges do their job, the rest leave, those who are done please queue together…'

Elsewhere, a few steps further, there are seven girls battling for the traditional hand fan designing called Pakhi. As traditional as the picture perfect heirlooms! "It's a dying art partly because nowadays we have everything electric, hand fans and inverters, there's hardly any use of hand fans let alone their designing; but in villages even now it's an art and people use it," shares Kiran, participant, GCG-11.

Pearls, sequins, colours, threads, needles, petals, décor, form a part of the paraphernalia; something that's almost a repeat with knitting and the crochet work, activities that had seven to eight participants each competing for the prize.

"The youth festival is a cultural activity in the college, which means no classes and we, being the hosts, get to witness everything," shares Isha Sharma, BSc first-year student.

Back to the singing, audible in the entire campus ground; there were 47 participants from the seven colleges in the 'shabad' category, an item in addition to the classical vocal, folk song, geet, gazal and group singing competitions. "The best part of the vocal competitions is that there's a sound about the entire college, we listen to it even while sitting in the canteen, walking about the lawns," shares Komal Singh, another student.

Over to day two and the venue increases by one; the events by exponent!

manpriya@tribunemail.com

Google the term 'Cloud Computing' and all the giant Indian software firms will hit back with details of services they provide. Now if someone types the same in Europe or US, for that matter, chances of getting the same number of options are pretty less.

"Indian software companies are proactive. They cash upon new technology in the market. Innovation and maintaining quality are the other positives," says Peter Lake, lecturer, who along with Clare Moonan, lecturer from Sheffield Hallam University, was at the British Library on Tuesday to conduct a week-long seminar on management. The term 'Cloud Computing' is used for all the software and hardware related services used on rent. It's an emerging trend in India. "The firms here are already outsourcing these services," Peter adds.

Some flattery comes from Clare as well. "India is giving a complex to a lot of nations. When a country has a strong economy, it just doesn't limit its success to industrialisation." Next, she acknowledges the fact about economic disparity. "But that is the case with every developed country. Rather than seeing it as an impediment, it should be considered as an opportunity to exploit more manpower." As against what is generally perceived, she feels Indian students in foreign universities have an added advantage. "Almost all MNCs are investing in India. It's a growing market and every big firm wants to be a part of it. In this case, the companies would like to hire employees who have international experience but are also aware of the system in India."

She says that the concept of exchange programmes should be encouraged to give students better exposure. Peter can't agree more - "The world is indeed a global village." And India is an important part of it!

ashima@tribunemail

The most heated debate at the UN conference this time was who gets a claim on the Arctic territory. The only other that came close to it was the religious intolerance and 'Islamophobia', and environment challenges ahead. Is sharing of trans-national resources the answer to the world energy problem? While global leaders seem to have 'politically correct' solutions to world problems, a bunch of students have found their way out. WORDS debating society, through their third annual Model UN Conference at CII-31, has once again highlighted that the youth today is a potential solution to most global problems!

The conference enables students of the age group between 15-18 years to discuss and deliberate on issues that concern the world. Most importantly, use their research, diplomatic skills and logical approach to draft solutions of global significance. "A Model UN Conference is a simulation of the committees of the UN where students pose as delegates of different countries, make speeches, negotiate and resolve conflicts…all within the framework of Model UN rules of procedure," says Aruj Garg, one of the trustees of WORDS. "This conference is the biggest we have organised till date, with 325 students from 35 schools across the country participating," he adds.

The event is presided over by a group of panelists selected by the WORDS society. "Our basic aim is to improve leadership and public speaking skills in youth. Through Model UN Conference we attempt to find solutions to problems facing global citizens today," says Tarika Mittal, convenor of the event. Each group of students is allotted countries and they have to research their foreign policies on particular issues.

"We create a set of crisis and they are supposed to present a solution," says Aruj. Now, it sounds like the real deal!

nehawalia@tribunemail.com

What would be a bigger irony than this — you have a fat pay cheque in hand but no time to splurge it with the family… point to ponder. Well, many would agree with the fact that our busy schedules leave us with almost no time for the family.

People at Centre for Applied Sociology thought the same. A study piloted by them called 'Spending Time with Family' reveals that most people in the city prefer to spend time with their families by doing household chores on weekends. But there is a serious need to do something, to bring the families together. Crispy Kurkure brand too is thinking on the same lines. 'Kurkure Spend Time with Family' campaign brought city-based film personality and humourist Jaspal Bhatti to talk on the same, in his characteristic style.

"Lifestyle is changing on a daily basis, which leaves us no time for the family," shares Jaspal Bhatti. "There is a need to connect with our family members, who can be counted as the real stress busters." And how does he manage the balancing act. "Simple," comes the reply, "my wife Savita and I take up most of the professional assignments together, whether we are doing movies or running Mad Arts In Mohali. We spend ample time together, so much so that we sometimes wonder that we need to be with someone outside as well," he laughs.

But for others who face this problem, Bhatti says the solution lies in food. "Meals are an important thing for Indian families, who treat it like an affair. I think working or non-working couples should take time out to sit on the dining table together to enjoy a meal and have a heart-to-heart chat," he says.

So, where comes the Kurkure campaign? "I liked the new initiative by Kurkure where they are trying to bring families closer through the snack. It is a nice idea and I am glad to be a part of it."

And where there's Jaspal Bhatti, there has to be a pun! "I think Manpreet and Sukhbir Badal should be made to eat Kurkure, this might bridge the gap between them," he adds with a puckish grin.