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And the nominations are…
The Social Network, Toy Story 3, Inception, 127 Hours…any takers? Jung Bahadur Atwal, teaching associate with Punjabi University, Patiala, wouldn't let us finish. "The Kids are All Right, Inception, The Social Network…I have seen all. I want to watch 127 Hours, the biographical adventure film, more so because of Danny Boyle and AR Rahman's music. I want to know what shape he has given to this flick after Slumdog Millionaire." Jung Bahadur who is bit of an adventure freak finds the subject based on a mountain climber really interesting. Did he have to wait for the nominations for the discovery? "No, I am a regular with foreign cinema, but after nominations the interest in the flick increases," he says. Let's put it across like this, for Aamir Khan Oscar is the highest level of award, and the only award function he would attend is Oscars. What about the mango people, aam admi Amit Verma, a PR professional with Text 100 Public Relations, shares that most people associate Oscars with dark movies, which requires a 'Beautiful Mind' to watch and understand. "However, people do follow foreign cinema and with Indians (read loud and clear-AR Rahman) making appearances off and on, the interest in this segment has increased," he adds. If multiplex owners are still at loggerheads with producers, directors, torrent and movie download sites have nothing to cry over. Movie downloading of foreign films is any day more than Bollywood masala and the same is true for music as well. Pooja Verma, a lawyer is a regular with music downloads. "It was on Amazon, much before the Oscar nominations, that I heard AR Rahman's Touch of the Sun and Liberation Begins. Toy Story 3 for Tom Hanks, Biutiful for Javier Bardem, 127 Hours for Danny Boyle, my reasons for watching these movies are absolutely clear." If we were to tell you, DVD sales for nominated Oscar movies is three times that of a regular film, you wouldn't be surprised. Sahib Singh rents DVDs and he is surprised at the number of people calling up with best of Oscar list, "Oscars or Golden Globe, now people know what these are all about. I get queries wherein they ask me to provide award winning movies." Actor in a Leading Role n
Javier Bardem in Biutiful Music (Original Score) n
How to Train Your Dragon by John Powell Best Picture n
Black Swan Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producersn
The Fighter David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers |
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Digital fasting offers a new nirvana
The first two days I had headaches, I wasn't relaxed at all. I was nervous, and also bored. Because, of course a very big part of my day, which had previously been taken up by email, by Google, and being online, had disappeared suddenly," writes Christoph Koch, a journalist from Berlin who described his experience of staying off the Internet and his mobile phone for an entire month in a book 'So I'm Going Offline'. Digital fasts, where one stays off the Internet or cell phone for a prolonged period of time, are the latest buzz. Alternatively labelled 'Digital Vipasana', this little, quiet retreat has become almost essential in times when we spend tiniest of the time frames (like on traffic light) in the virtual world updating status, checking the score or checking 'fantasy crops'. An overdose of information and stimulus has robbed us of even a moment for our own selves. In such a scenario, when cells have become inseparable gadgets that provide all - weather information (you don't peep out of the window any more), shopping, chatting, banking - it's becoming imperative to take a digital break. We check with some city folks. I tried, but failed
I am almost always busy chatting on Facebook. My friends from school, college, colleagues and family are there. But being constantly on computer made my eyes hurt. I tried switching off Facebook, but the temptation to check out what's new was so great that I always logged on again. It's refreshing The virtual world provides an inexhaustible pool of knowledge. But too much of everything is bad. I often take a break to a nearby hill station leaving my phone and laptop behind. Couldn't dare to The thought of going on a digital break occurred many times but I just couldn't dare to. The very of thought of not being 'available' to friends scared me. Maybe I should try it once. Do you need it? Just like we fast to cleanse our body, we need digital fasting to cleanse ourselves of the online baggage. If three of the following are true, digital vipasana is for you: n
If you reply office emails from home n
If you are on more than two social networks n
If you check email more than 15 times a day n
If you post pictures of a holiday before you are back n
Put your thought on status message before you share it with your near and dear ones n
If you suffer from withdrawal symptoms the moment you log off· How to observe a digital fast n
Make most of online life. Chat incessantly, surf continuously and check out all your favourite videos on youtube n
Announce your upcoming fast. Put a status message or blog n
Get unplugged. Switch off your cell as well as go offline n
Try something 'real'. Go fly a kite, play with a pup or try watering the plants in the garden. n
Go online after a stipulated time (at least 24 hours) n
Share your new worldview. Do you interpret words 'friend', 'social network', 'event' differently? (Courtesy: Internet) |
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Kodak moments
Some click pictures while travelling, others travel to click pictures. Milestone Photo Galleria, a touring exhibition that opens at the Government Museum and Art Gallery on Friday has 60 shots by 21 photographers - all travel pictures. Fifth in it's league, and first time in Chandigarh, this exhibition has works from photographers from different fields. Lensmen under the guidance of Vinayak Pawaskar click on various themes and with different styles while travelling together. "Though I get a different group each time we travel, the aim is same, to click pictures," says Vinayak, an electronic engineer who left a nine to five job to pursue his dream of trevelling. The exhibition will be opened by Nek Chand on Friday.
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Litterateurs’ delight
Riding high on the success of earlier events, the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi, in collaboration with Punjab University, is organising another three-day literary festival from Friday. "It will be a three-day event; and a judicious mix of paper-presentations, lectures, readings and discussions along with a quiz contest," says Akademi chairperson Manju Jaidka. The inaugural address will be delivered by Dr Karan Singh, MP Rajya Sabha and President, ICCR. The Vice-chancellor of Panjab University Prof RC Sobti will also address the gathering. Two upcoming novelists - Manjul Bajaj and Amandeep Sandhu - will present excerpts from their works along with Prof Bhalla, who will read out his poems. The second day of the festival is devoted to the national language. Two senior academicians, Prof Nand Kishore Acharya and Lal Chand Gupt Mangal, will speak on Agyeya and Nagarjuna. This will be followed by paper presentations by Archana Sharma from Delhi, and Yojna Rawat as well as Sudhir Kumar from Panjab University. A book on Four Centuries of Sikh Literature would be launched by eminent Prof JS Grewal. The final day of the festival would witness paper presentations by Susan Comfort from the US and Mariam Karim Ahlawat from Delhi.
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Side Lanes
Every winter takes its toll. This year it has embraced those teachers who became famous in Chandigarh through not only teaching skills, but also exemplary lives guided by compassion, love and the gentle sense of nurturing. Jewell Singh, parent par excellence, beloved teacher and supportive friend, left us all, just short of a glorious century. She passed on as she had lived - quietly, without fuss, with great élan and dignity.
Sylvia Grewal, the laughing, joyful countenance of teaching, marital togetherness and parenthood, quietly slipped away into another life, leaving friends and family surprised but revelling in the joyful memories she created in her wake. Sharon Chauhan, my dear friend and rickshaw companion to and from Kanya Maha Vidyalya, Jalandar, bore her pain valiantly and bid the world goodbye on Boxing Day. Professor Satish Deva left a void that will be hard to fill. He was the quintessential math teacher. Even after retirement, the pupils came in droves. All those fractured, maths-tortured souls, would troop in to be repaired and healed by 'Satish Sir'. In the past few years, a well-known school in Chandigarh, recognised his healing potential and sent a car to pick him up, five days a week. As Satish's driving skills were legendary, the precious cargo was always picked up and dropped at a gate in Panchkula. Math teachers are notorious for not being able to create basic awareness or liking for the subject. In Satish's capable hands, there was no question of lack of understanding or misinterpretation. A quiet man, he went through life with mathematical precision. In his cupboard, shirts did not mix with tees, trousers or shorts. They lay in neat, ironed stacks in their rightful compartments. His evenings were spent playing squash and table tennis at the Lake Club, where more often than not, he trounced his panting opponent. The 79 years lay lightly and he looked no older than a 60 year old. His muscular arms and legs can be seen in Dhruv, the grandson who inherited all his Dada'sportsmanship. Twenty years ago, Satish came into our lives as a samdhi. In that period he never lost his cool or politeness. A good friend of my father's, they often shared views and confidences. When Krishna passed on, like all widowers, Satish found the house too large, too empty, too silent. Doggedly he continued with his activities and added world travel to his agenda. His last trip to the USA, Canada, Bangkok, Australia and England was a talking point enriched by numerous photographs of relatives, friends and places. It seemed that he wanted to round up a life well lived. With great precision, he tied up all the loose ends and informed his children about doing so. As they surrounded his hospital bed, his 16 and 17 year old protégées laughed and joked while looking at the peaceful, sleeping face, "Wake up Sir! You are a rock-star!" Their main worry was about not making it without him. His daughter told them to do well, study hard as a tribute to a gifted and compassionate teacher. Farewell dear friends! Your numbers have rolled but our lives are poorer through your passing. |
Her career took a backseat after her wedding, but Bollywood's dancing diva Madhuri Dixit is seriously thinking about fulfilling her dream of opening a dance schools chain across the world."I don't have an immediate, ready plan to open my dance school, but I really want to do something like that and hopefully, god willing, I will do it," Madhuri said."The plans are in my head right now. It will be multi-genre school where various dance forms will be taught. I am speaking as if everything is ready... but it is my dream. If I do it, it will be everywhere," she added. After shifting base to Denver following her wedding in 1999 to Shriram Nene, the 43-year-old kept in touch with her dance through practice sessions at home."I started practising my kathak there and that's something that gave me a lot of joy," said the trained Kathak dancer. Now the actor has two children —Arin, 7 and Ryan, 5, and she wants to wait for some more time to put her plans for the dance school in place."My children are really young right now. When I get some more time... I will focus on the dance school," she said. As of now, she is enjoying her stint on Sony TV's Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 4 as a judge along with actress Malaika Arora Khan and choreographer Remo D'Souza, and maintains that she doesn't miss the glitzy cinema life when she is back home. "I miss Mumbai for the energy of the city and because there are a lot of friends in the city. I miss my craft sometimes but I don't miss the other stuff that goes with Bollywood because I was never part of it."I have enjoyed every moment of my life — have never had any regrets. I am glad I took a break for my children because I wanted to be with them in their formative years," said Madhuri. — Agencies
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Hollywood actor John Travolta says he loves making songs for his two-month-old son Benjamin. The 56-year-old actor whose wife Kelly Preston gave birth last year admits he loves to find new ways to entertain the tot. "I make up songs. I was changing him the other day, and I wanted to entertain him so he didn't get upset, so I made something up," he said. Kelly, 48, admitted while she can't see any resemblance between herself and Benjamin, she thinks he looks "identical" to his father. "Maybe there's me somewhere in there, but he looks so much like his daddy," she said. — IANS
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It's a baby boy for Hollywood star Penelope Cruz who gave birth to her first child, the same day that husband Javier Bardem received an Oscar nod. The Academy award-winning actor gave birth to the baby on Tuesday, but the notoriously private couple had not disclosed the child's gender. A spokesman for the couple told Entertainment Tonight, "Penelope and Javier welcomed their first son into their family last week." The 36-year-old actor gave birth in Los Angeles at the world-renowned Cedars Sinai hospital.Earlier this month, Leonardo DiCaprio and Israeli model Bar Refaeli attended the couple's baby shower at their Los Angeles mansion. Penelope married fellow Spaniard Bardem at a low-key ceremony in the Caribbean in July with only a few relatives present. — Agencies
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Koffee break
After scoring a hat-trick at the National Awards, well-known filmmaker looks ahead with romantic comedy Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji. His previous films were not just critically acclaimed, but also commercial successes. After Jail Madhur Bhandarkar has come up with a romcom for the first time with Ajay Devgn, the incorrigible Omi Vaidya, Emraan Hashmi, Shruti Haasan, Shradha Das and Shazahn Padamsee. On the eve of the release of Rs 22 crore Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji, Madhur talks about his film. You are known for hard-hitting films. What inspired you to make a rom.com? I am inspired by Basu Chatterjee films. After a lot of research I realised that comedy is also a challenging subject. For this, I selected a good story of three middle class characters and the result is Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji. What can one expect out of this film? I have always experimented with my projects and experiments work for me. I am sure people will go to the theatres to see what Madhur Bhandarkar has to offer to them this time in a romantic comedy. Why did you choose male protagonists? As a filmmaker, I feel that the point of view depends on the story. I felt right in using the point of view of males this time. What is this film all about? It is a romantic comedy. There are three different stories and three different men. What do you think is important for a comedy film? I like light comedies. A good dialogue is always welcome and of course you need good actors with good comic timings. Who is more romantic a man or a woman? It depends on individuals. But I think women are more romantic. You have never shown a happy end to relationships. What do you say? Relations have become short-lived nowadays. Both men and women have become more ambitious and materialistic. What do you love most about Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji? I love the story written by new writers Neeraj Udvani, Anil Pande and dialogues by Sanjay Chhel. Are you making Heroine with Kareena Kapoor? Right now the film is stalled. — Dharam Pal
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Bollywood's own dancing diva Urmila Matondkar has replaced actress Mallika Sherawat as the judge of reality show Chak Dhoom Dhoom. The Rangeela star will be seen sharing the judges' panel with Jaaved Jafferi and Terrence Lewis on the second season of the Colors show to find the best dancing group. "I am really excited to be back on television and with a brand new season of Chak Dhoom Dhoom, I will bring my own style and craft to spot talent on the show. The main reason for me to be associated with the show is my passion for dance. It will be interesting to work with Jaaved and Terrence," Urmila said in a statement. Even though the show kickstarted with Mallika as the third judge and she sat through the auditions, the Hisss star has been removed amid rumours that show bosses were miffed with her tantrums on set.Urmila will now be seen in the jury chair for the gala rounds to be aired from Friday onwards."Urmila is someone who is closely associated with dance and being a great dancer herself we are confident that she will prove to be an honest and fair judge," said Ashvini Yardi, head programming, Colors. — Agencies
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Hollywood actor Kate Hudson's family is secretly hoping she is expecting a baby girl with Muse frontman Matt Bellamy, according to her stepfather Kurt Russell. The 31-year-old actor who confirmed earlier this month she is pregnant with her first child with current boyfriend Matt Bellamy has delighted her mother Goldie Hawn and stepfather Kurt Russell with the news, but they would be even happier if she gives them a granddaughter. "It's fun having babies once again. And it's fun to watch them grow. It's fun to see what they're grasping. I think secretly we're all hoping for a girl," said Russell. Goldie, 65, admitted she is "excited" about the latest addition to their family. "I'm excited, it's exciting. You know, we're just all very happy... happy for them both. What's more to say?" she said. Kate who has a seven-year-old son Ryder with ex-husband Chris Robinson has been dating the Muse rocker for around nine months. — Agencies
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Film: Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji Producer: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Bhandarkar Entertainment Director: Madhur Bhandarkar Cast: Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Omi Vaidya, Shruti Haasan, Shradha Das, Shazahn Padamsee Madhur Bhandarkar's first light-hearted comedy revolves around three guys and their love life. The story is put across in a very light-hearted way. In Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji, Shazahn has been paired opposite Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi is paired opposite Shruti Haasan and Shradha Das is paired with Omi Vaidya. This 135-minute film has been shot mostly in Mumbai except for a song sequence that was picutrised in Bangkok. Get ready to watch fun-filled ride of emotions today at theatres nearest you. — Dharam Pal
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Correct us if we are wrong... the last time you took interest or let's say discussed Oscars nineteen to dozen…hmmm! Lagan, Mr Perfectionist Aamir Khan, all suited-booted, posed at the Oscars sans a balla, Shekhar Kapoor dolled up Elizabeth in best costumes, and more recently an entourage of bacchas and badey from a city called Mumbai rushed to the stage to pose even as the man Danny Boyle (read Slumdog Millionaire) held the Oscars close to his heart. Now, 83rd Academy Awards is back with one helluva line up on the nominations list.
