The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - The Tribune Lifestyle

Mass appeal
In his debut film Sahib, Biwi aur Gangster, filmmaker Rahul Mitra is planning to cashin on Bollywood's latest trend—rustic backdrop and uncouth language
Ashima Sehajpal

Out of the Jimmy Choo pair, into the kolhapuris, replace Aisha's Christian Dior outfits with Munni's bling costumes, reduce the pan-cake make-up to loads of kohl-rimmed eyes, like Vidya Balan's in Ishqiya. "Bollywood is witnessing a new trend--rustic backdrop and uncouth language. The trend began with Omkara and continued with Ishqiya, Peepli Live and Dabangg," asserts Rahul Mittra, CEO of Brandsmith Motion Pictures, a production company, which will make the list longer with its debut venture, Sahib Biwi aur Gangster.

The shift, he says, from the beautiful foreign locales to the rustic backdrops, preferably in the Hindi belt, is because of the overdose of out and out fictional cinema. "People no more want watch actors dancing around tulips in Switzerland. They don't bother which brand the actor is wearing or which Hollywood star is making a special appearance," adds Rahul, in the city on Wednesday on a personal visit.

The concept of paisa vasool entertainment has changed, which only a good script and acting can guarantee. "The film doesn't even boast of big names from the industry. We are confident even when the cast is simple and fresh because the script is strong."

Confidence also comes from the fact that Tigmanshu Dhulia, of Dil Se, Haasil and Paan Singh Tomar fame, has written and directed the movie. As the name of the film suggests, it's about an isolated wife (played by Mahi Gill), her husband who has suffered losses in business (played by Jimmy Shergill) and a gangster who the wife is attracted to.

Rahul is quick to deny that the movie is inspired from the 1962 classic, Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam. "It's an action film with a lot of dark humour. The plot is on the lines of Maqbool but there's no similarity," informs Rahul, who has spent 14 years of his life in Chandigarh. He promises many typical Bollywood dialogues in the movie. "We saw people enjoy dialogue-bazzi after a very long time in Once Upon A Time In Mumbai. The film will have dialogues that will stay in memories of people for long."

Rahul has chalked a plan to promote the film. "We are visiting all major cities near the release with its promotion. Also, we have tied up with a famous artist, who will paint the posters of the film, like it used to be done in the 60s." Also, there are plans to take the movie to various international festivals. "The curiosity to watch a film increases once it is applauded by the international audience. It increases the trust of cinema lovers." There will also be a fashion show themed around the movie. Now, that's dramatic.

ashima@tribunemail.com

Gifts, corporate ishtyle
Jigyasa Kapoor Chimra

The festival of lights, which is better known for fireworks, sweets and the joie de vivre, is also synonymous with exchange of gifts. When talking of gifts, this is the time of the year when employees look forward for a gift of appreciation. And not lagging behind, for corporate India Diwali is an occasion to splurge and indulge! It is the time to build relationships with employees, business partners and clients by pampering them a little.

Though a lot of brain-storming goes into the selection of corporate Diwali gifts, to the rescue come some people who are into the business of providing solutions for a perfect gift.

"Gifts usually boost up the morale of the employees and improves the confidence of the entire staff in the company," says Priyanka Bajaj from Sindhi sweets.

Ask her is their anything exclusive that they are doing and she says, "Yes, this Diwali we have come up with Lebanese sweets, Baklawa and Khaleeji. Apart from that we have 'kajus' in varied flavours." Handmade chocolates in a chic box accompanied by candles list on the line of gifting options as well.

Says Nikhil from Nik Bakers, "Budget is the most important part when it comes to gifting. And when it comes to the corporate offices, they like to indulge in something exclusive. This year we have gifts like cookies, dry cakes, almonds coated with chocolates as gift items."

Sapna from Ghaziabad, whose company's name itself is Gifts for Corporates, specialises in gifting options and agrees that budget plays the main role. "It depends from company to company and gifting policies." She adds, "IT companies who have budgets are opting for travelling bags, backpacks etc.”

Company call

Airtel, Punjab, is organising a Diwali mela for the employees and their family at the office premises.

The HR department of Fortis, Mohali, has organised a candle stall made by paraplegics. There will also be a puja ceremony on Diwali.

Vodafone Mohali is hosting a Diwali party for the employees along with a personal gift.

Karma Republic-35 is celebrating Diwali with some orphan children. Founder Preet Arjun Singh says, "We have decided to celebrate the day with orphans. We held a workshop with 300 children at Maloya village."

jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com

BOND WAGON
Together we can

(Keerti H Singh and Hartek Singh)

Relationship: Husband and wife

Time together: 21 years

Same-to-same: We love to dress up in same colours (blue is favourite), share office cabin and have inherited engineering in the family genes.

Yet different: Practically everything - Hartek is social, I am not. He works from the heart, I use logic. For him Amtek (company he has founded) is everything, for me it's him! The good thing is we complement each other. - Keerti

Unforgettable moments: Our childhood - we were neighbours and have played all the kids' games together. - Hartek

When our children were born. This was the most precious time of our lives. — Keerti

Special something: The very first few years of our married life were full of struggle. We had just started business which meant we were short of finances, time and did not know each other either. But that all paid off in terms of success of our business. We try making up for the lost time now. And, yes, we still have that motorbike from those days though we have added a fleet of cars.

Mutual admiration: He is my soulmate. I couldn't have imagined a life without him. I started coming to office just because Amtek means so much to him—Keerti

She is intelligent, has a solution for everything. I succeed if I listen to her, when I don't, I fail and go back to her. Since I was out in marketing, she has single-handedly raised the kids. Just because she was there, I could concentrate on work. — Hartek

Wishful thinking: Celebrating golden wedding anniversary together, just the way my parents-in-laws did. — Keerti.

I want to give her everything, whether I am there or not. —Hartek.

(Hartek is managing director and Keerti is director, Amtek Energy & Power Private Limited. While Hartek looks after finances, Keerti manages administration and HR. The couple is blessed with a boy and a girl)

Positive step

I am a 23-year-old girl with a good job. My problem is my emotional health. I have been in a relationship for the past five years, which is going nowhere. I feel extremely lonely and unhappy as life has come to a standstill. My friend is not interested in marriage as we both are of the same age and he is too young for it. He is doing his MBA and then wants to go abroad for a further degree. I feel my boyfriend is playing a game with me. Now, I am not even enjoying my new job although it is a wonderful one. Please guide me as to what I should do in this situation.

— Reena Menon Ambala

We all deserve happiness. Well, there are times when we feel angry, sad and lonely but these should only be occasional. We cannot allow these emotions to overtake our lives. If this happens it starts threatening our sense of self worth. We start finding fault with ourselves. We must realise that we are responsible. You have a wonderful job, you have every reason to feel happy. If your relationship is really not to your liking and is giving you pain, move on with your life. Keep it as a healthy friendship and stop looking for romantic fulfillment and marriage. Obviously your boyfriend needs to settle down before marriage. Give him the space and freedom to do so, if he comes back to you after that, then it's good enough. Try and find your happiness through your work and when you are content and fulfilled within yourself as a person you will naturally attract the right person.

Live it up

I am a 24-year-old man chasing a dream. I have always wanted to be a painter and a very famous one, sometimes I want to become a fashion designer and paint these lovely clothes for women. All my friends and family think I am foolish and need to sort myself, curb my desires and do some practical work. I have actually qualified as an architect and can design nice homes but my heart is not in it. Do you think that changing careers would be a wrong decision or do you think that it is foolish to be a designer or painter? I see many people making enough money doing these things. Please help me to make the right decision.

— Rohun Khetarpal Panipat

Do not fret so much. Go your convictions. It is wonderful to have a dream. It is only dreamers who become achievers. So if you have made up your mind to be a designer, just go ahead with it. The world will say just what they want to, but they are not you. Your passions and desires are your own and to live up to your passions is your responsibility. Being an artist is a creative, nothing can stop you from expressing yourself. Yes as a designer you can paint dresses but you can also design homes and indulge your passion for painting on the walls. Just go for it any which way, without inhibitions. It's your life, live it your terms and the money will follow you. These days people also like investing in creative things like art so that shouldn't hinder you from working at it. Just go ahead and do it.

Listen to your heart

I am 35, just back from the USA after living there for about 15 years. I finished law college there and worked in a law firm for many years but now I am tired of doing that. My heart is in farming and living close to nature. I am wondering how I will adjust to the Indian scenario and a farm set up. Would you recommend my going to the village everyday and staying in a small town nearby or should I live in the village. We have a place in Rudrapur, but the area around is not very developed. I am a little apprehensive and wonder how to deal with it. The roads are bad and water and electricity are a problem. Do you think I am making a wise decision? .

— Amita Saron Delhi

I think taking sharp turns in life is an exciting way to live. And who said life is meant to be lived only on one tangent? We have every right to do what we want as long as we are not overstepping someone's boundary. If you want to become a farmer, why not? We all have these inner urges that can come to us at any time and rather than being self critical and too analytical. Our lives have a habit of shaping up beautifully if we give ourselves the freedom. So follow your heart. Living close to nature gives a whole new dimension to life. Maybe after that once again you will be back to your profession. Leave your apprehensions behind, overlook the bad roads and other problems and go for it.

Walk the cause

Bollywood actor Amrita Rao walked the ramp in a red bridal outfit as the showstopper for designer Archana Kochhar's show at the Aamby Valley India Bridal Week (AVIBW), which was dedicated to NGO Nanhi Kali that works for the girl child.The collection was dedicated to Nanhi Kali. It is a charity that looks into the issues of a girl child. So when we are doing a show for brides, I thought that they all emerged from nanhi kalis and it's very important to create awareness about them so we did this show in association with this NGO," Archana said.

The collection, which was an amalgamation of three lines, saw Amrita walking down the ramp wearing a heavy, red lehenga coupled with a long red sheer coat.Asked why she roped in Amrita, the designer said: "It was a pleasure having Amrita as the showstopper. She is a very dear friend and I love having her as my showstopper. I love the way she carries her clothes and also the aura."The actor too was excited to walk the ramp dressed as a bride.

"Being an actor I'm not professionally qualified to walk on the ramp but I have always enjoyed this experience. Though you are nervous as a turkey backstage, I think it's the sheer idea of entering into another territory that excites me," said Amrita.The actor added that she was happy that the show was in association with an NGO for the girl child. "When we do something for entertainment but is also done for a good cause, then one feels very good. I'm really happy to be part of this," she added.The collection was called gulal, genda and gehna, which are all part of a wedding in India.The first segment of the show displayed garments in the colours of gulal — red and pink. The second segment was inspired by genda (marigold) and hence yellow and orange as colours were used. Then the final section was 'gehna' (ornaments)—IANS

Lighting up Diwali

Oscar-winner Hollywood star Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman), the recent convert to Hinduism, says 'Diwali should be celebrated unanimously throughout the world as a gesture of goodwill'. In her 'Diwali wishes' Roberts adds that essence of both Christmas and Diwali is the same as both "are festivals of lights, good spirits and death of evil".

Roberts further points out that Diwali (Hindu festival which falls on November five) "not only belongs to Hinduism but is universal in nature and in its essence too. Diwali ignites the values of self-confidence, love for humanity, peace, prosperity and above all eternity which goes beyond all mortal factors. When I think of Diwali, I can never imagine a world broken into fragments by narrow feelings of communalism and religion which does not care for human benevolence. Ever since I developed my liking and fondness for Hinduism, I have been attracted and deeply fascinated by many facets of the multi dimensional Hinduism... spirituality in it transcends many barriers of mere religion", Roberts stated. Talking of India, she promised "to return to this sacred land again and again for the best of creativity".

— ANI

Rat race

Amy Adams

Scarlett Johansson

Hollywood beauties Scarlett Johansson and Amy Adams are in the race to star opposite Matt Damon in a new film titled, We Bought A Zoo.

Director Cameron Crowe has chalked out a list of actors, including Adams, Rachel McAdams and Mary Elizabeth Winstead to star in the movie, but 25-year-old Johansson remains the top choice to take the female lead.

The film is an adaptation of Benjamin Mee's book about the project he undertook with his family in a bid to save the animals and restore their habitats in the decrepit Dartmoor Zoological Park.

Meanwhile, Colin Ford and Thomas Haden Church have also signed up to appear in the film with shooting scheduled to begin early next year.

The release date is currently scheduled for December 23. — PTI

Knock-out punch

The rumoured changes in her body and face have repeatedly hit headlines but Bollywood actor Kangna Ranaut is not perturbed by them and says she rather finds it amusing to read stories about her "surgeries".

The actor was last seen in 'Knock Out' but did not have much to do. She also turned into a diva for Ajay Devgn starrer Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai and this was the time when news broke about her going under the knife."Honestly, it was never annoying at all to read things about me. On the contrary, I really enjoyed all those pieces that were being written. To read about your own surgeries is amusing," Kangna said.

The 23-year-old says she was initially shocked at the media reports and attributes the noticeable changes in her frame to eating "rich North Indian food" during the shoot of Aanand Rai's Manu Weds Tanu.Kangna says she had stopped working out after hurting her foot for some time, which also led to a fuller figure."It is discipline, exercise and meditation which bring your real beauty out. This was exactly the case with me as well. Everything has grown naturally for me. If I am glowing better than before, it is because any young woman starts shining as she moves ahead in her 20s. Same is the case with me as well," says Kangna.

However, over the last few weeks, tabloids have also speculated that the actor went for a lip enhancement as well as facelift."A 20 something girl doesn't need a face lift. If any tabloid wants to click me from different angles and form an inference about my body, so be it," she defends.While her body has been a constant topic of discussion for most part of this year, the actor says she will be busy shooting throughout the next year."There is some good work happening and I am glad to be busy. After No Problem, I would be seen in two more comedies — Double Dhamaal and Rascals. Then I have also done a romantic comedy Manu weds Tanu with Madhavan which should be releasing soon as well. Then there is an action thriller Game while Priyadarshan sir's Tezz is also on. It's a full time ahead and I am enjoying every bit of it." — PTI

What a job, Sir ji!
Ashima Sehajpal

Pandit Rao Dharennaver

We so casually watch the Idea advertisement in which Abhishek Bachchan reflects on the point that if language acts as a barrier, it also act like a bridge. Barrier because it hampers communication and bridge because at least it compels people from different backgrounds to get the conversation started.

Pandit Rao Dharennaver, an assistant professor in Government College-46 translates literary works from Kannada to Punjabi and the reverse for the same reason, "Translation helps bridge the gap and remove barriers. Meera Bai is famous all over India for her works in Devnagiri have been translated in all regional languages." Dharennaver's latest contribution is the translation of the teachings of Akka Mahadevi, a 12th century saint, a compilation of which he released in the city on Wednesday. "Translating spiritual works is a form of social service for me. I don't want that language should keep people of two regions from knowing each other's culture."

He began learning Punjabi only to teach his students better, "About 80 per cent of the college students speak Punjabi. I realised that to make anyone understand a subject better, lecture should be delivered in the language students understand." Little did he know then that he would gradually start translating significant literary works from both regions. "I have thoroughly read and understood the Guru Granth Sahib. I will next translate the holy book."

Did he face problems in learning a different language? "We speak a little Hindi but Punjabi was a different game altogether. However, books on the rich culture and history of Punjab inspired me to learn the language." He now speaks chaste Punjabi just as he does Kannada. Also on his priority list is literary works of popular Punjabi poets like Paash and Shiv Kumar Batalvi.

He feels there is an urgent need for more translators. "We have a French language teacher in almost every school and university of India. But how many educational institutes have an additional regional language as part of the curriculum? The world will get interested in our languages only if we respect and show interest in them." How true!

ashima@tribunemail.com