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Now, Rabbi at Coke studio
Coke Studio, before you confuse it with some ecstasy drug, we would quickly tell you what it is - a venture by Coca-Cola, Coke Studio presents fusion music in a series of live studio recordings in Pakistan. The Coke Studio session includes some of the most challenging music and vocal variations by diverse artistes and musicians. Artistes like Ali Zafar, Ali Azmat, Arif Lohar, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Tufail Ahmed and various Pakistani bands perform at these sessions. In short, it is a platform where renowned and upcoming musicians from various genres can collaborate to realise their dreams. Coke Studio, known to keep things a 'secret' and not sharing even an iota of it with the media, is suddenly of interest with the news of singer Rabbi Shergill of Bulla Ki Jaana Main Kaun fame performing in the fourth season of Coke Studio Session. Awesome, isn't it? Amazing platform
Coke Studio is a great platform where musicians can perform live. The output at this platform is amazing because this has become 'the' thing for musicians. Rabbi Shergill performing there is definitely good news. He has an experimental voice with which he can work wonders. — DJ Sameer, resident with Kava All about Coke studio
Coke Studio, the reinvention of our favourite songs, a project that pairs rockers and pop giants with eastern purists puts a new spin on 'fusion' music. A brainchild of Rohail Hyatt, the man behind this mammoth project, Coke Studio is the musical marriage of tradition and modernity. With Rohail Hyatt as the 'king of the jungle', overlooking every nitty-gritty of the humongous project, the Coke Studio core band comprises the best in the country, including lord of the drums Gumby, the Pathan from Peshawar who has managed to surprise us all with his electric wizardry on turntables and synthesizers. Then there is Zeeshan Parwez, the man who has managed to create a buzz with his videos than with his unreleased album Mauj; front man and guitarist Omran Shafique and the subtle magician of the bass, Kamran Zafar aka Mannu. Fusion music gaining ground
Rabbi Shergill is a great friend and this is exciting news. We too do something like live sessions in India as well. Fusion music is gaining popularity and the concept of Coke Studio is interesting. — Shabani Kashyap, Bollywood singer jasmine@tribunemail.com |
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Husain’s new muse — Vidya Balan
And he does it again. MF Husain, the dil-toh-bacha-hai-ji painter, cannot stay away from sensuous beauties. Whether it is being smitten by the million-dollar smile of Madhuri Dixit or the news about Vidya Balan posing nude for his painting, the 90 plus Husain provides ample grit to keep you busy discussing him nineteen to dozen. The latest news doing the rounds is that MF Husain has set his eyes on the sensuous beauty Vidya Balan and has given a special request. It is heard that Husain wants to paint Vidya nude and here is the best part — sources say Vidya said yes to the idea and is thrilled about it. Apparently, she has assured Husain that after doing a film based on the life of Silk Smitha, she will do the nude posing. Husain, it seems, will live for another 10 years after looking at Vidya in her birthday suit and drawing her! Now, if you turn the archlights away from the painter to other actresses who have gone topless, posed semi-nude for various magazines, you'd know this is no big deal. The big deal is MF Husain. No harm in flaunting
Actress Sheryln Chopra has been approached to pose nude for Playboy; Yana Gupta has been offered one-crore for a UK magazine. Going nude is hardly an issue with the industry. Bipasha Basu went topless for Maxim magazine. Actor Mahie Gill of Dev D finds nothing wrong with posing nude, if shot aesthetically. "I think if you have a good body, there is no harm in flaunting it," she says. Zeenat Aman went topless covered only with a flimsy white cloth in Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978). Aruna Irani had a body double in a nursing scene from Doodh Ka Karz Simi Garewal did a topless scene in the movie Siddartha (1972) opposite Shashi Kapoor Manisha Koirala was involved in a major controversy over her steamy scenes and butt exposure in the movie Ek Choti Si Love Story (2002). She dragged the director Shashilal Nair to the court for maligning her reputation because a body double had been used without her knowledge. Dimple Kapadia had a major case of wardrobe malfunction in the movie Saagar (1985). A topless Dimple Kapadia's towel came off for a split second. Lisa Ray exposed in Water (2002), The World Unseen (2007), I can't think straight (2007), Kill Kill Faster Faster (2008). Sherlyn Chopra revealed a part of her assets in the movie The Red Swastik (2007) in the opening credits. Her MMS also did the rounds, which the straightforward girl confessed to as
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Young designers celebrate spirit of love
Two students, 12 dresses, sheer creativity; the international lovers day (read Valentines Day) found 12 nodes of love in fabric, as two students (Harleen Kaur and Abhimanyu Vij) from the first-year of fashion and interior design from Raffles Millennium presented their St Valentine's collection on the college premises. Presenting an ensemble that was created over a period of one month under the guidance of Omar Benitez (consultant, fashion design and fashion marketing and management) the collection showcased the spirit of love in red and white. Using fabrics like velvet, lame, satin, net and organza, the collection showcased at the fashion show included dresses, corsets, night-gowns, jackets and gowns. Keeping colour as the principal element of the collection, Omar says, "This collection celebrates love and what better way to show love than in colours like white and red." Harleen Kaur, who presented some chic pieces in her collection, says, "I have used various techniques like advanced draping, advanced drafting and tail ring techniques to design my dresses. Sticking to the theme of Valentines and at the same time making it more fashionable, we decided to use accessorise like ring stones, silver lace, white beads and red fabric flowers."
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Side
Lanes Joyshri Lobo In a nation like Mera Bharat Mahan, sometime or the other, if we have not been born in a family with gold and silver spoons, and stashes of inherited jewellry, we have gone through a staple diet of graded poverty. Examples of this are to be found in the following actions, which are under taken to hide the actual facts. Add water and salt to the dal for unexpected visitors; wear your sibling's discards; swank around in designer fur coats from the bag sent by richer nations for flood hit victims who live in a sweltering climate; serve "meat loaf" created from crushed nuts, masalas and eggs, and many more tricks we keep as closely guarded family secrets. Because of this genteel poverty that does not allow us to accept the appellation "poor," most of the "middle class," (that sounds okay!) has picked up economical habits that cost nothing. Here are a few. The healthiest way of dealing with the common cold is to use paper tissues and discard them immediately. The germ does not carry over, so to speak. I collect most tissues and paper towels from airport loos and the local gyms. In fact, I leave a pocket of my rucksack free for a year's supply of the stuff. Lest anyone is judging my wealth by the flights I board, rest assured that all tickets are paid for by "nears and dears," provided they love and need you. Miniature soaps, moisturisers, talcum powder, shampoos, conditioners and shower caps can be found even in the 1* hotels, motels, ferries and inns. Might as well take them before the cleaning- woman does. Depending on how much you travel, a four month supply is assured. Domestic flights and trains offer a wide variety of foods. Tiny packets of Amul butter and cheese, mixed fruit jam, mixed pickle, tea, sugar, salt and pepper are always available. So are toothpicks and plastic cutlery. The latter are useful for picnics by the river or local duck pond. And, of course, the paper napkins on these journeys are usually four ply and the best in case of rhinovitis. I have known friends to bring back a supply of blankets, head- phones, magazines, neck pillows, socks, eyeshades and tooth-brushes from international tours. Perhaps, that is why most airlines now stock their loos with capless hand, face and mouth-washes, and eau-de-cologne. Singapore Airlines passes a black plastic bag to retrieve its head- sets. They did give me a pack of cards, 2 pens and a couple of picture postcards because they did not know how to say "no" to an old lady. The Shatabdi chains its stainless steel mugs for obvious reasons. Hotels specifically warn you against removing towels and bathrobes. As I got off the aircraft, a gentle, smiling lad offered me a wheel chair. Considering the freebies I carried, this was gratefully accepted. I have learned this from younger compatriots who always hop onto a wheel chair, travel miles through various airports and then briskly walk into the aircraft. It pays to travel.
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Koodiyattam: Perfect blend of dance, music
The eyes speak volumes - Kapila Venu, a koodiyattam dancer, is a living example. "Expressions of love, request, pain or anger are showcased only through eye movements. No words are used in the performance except from the Sanskrit text," she says. Kapila Venu is in the city for a performance organised by SPIC-MACAY at the St. Stephens School, Sector 45. Koodiyattam - The dance form
"It is a very old dance form in Kerala. People tend to mix koodiyattam and kathak, but they are different. Koodiyattam is not much of entertainment; it is an intense form," she says. She feels 'abhinay' (performance) gives unique strength. "Koodiyattam is all about relationship among hands, eyes and the mind. It is a blend of music and acting. This dance form is all about enacting important events of Lord Krishna's life. Moreover, only one person plays all the characters," she says. Philosophy of dance
"Koodiyattam is like doing 'sadhna'. Our aim is not to entertain or attract anyone. The whole attempt of a performance is to reach to the other level. So, I call myself a practitioner rather than a performer," she says. She believes koodiyattam is different from other dance forms, "Unlike other art forms it takes a long time to learn it. Moreover, you cannot learn it alone. You have to be in a community." However, Kapila does not believe in making koodiyattam popular. "I don't want to make it a brand name. I feel only those people should know about koodiyattam who are interested in it," she says. Mesmerised audience
"I was enthralled to see the performance. Her fleeting glances and eye movements spoke of her 'sadhna'. It will always stay in my memory," says Ankita Vij. Some were amazed with her energy levels. "I have never seen such a power-packed performance. She displayed amazing coordination of matching her facial expressions with the speed of her dance," says Kunal Sharma. |
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Koser award for Birju Maharaj
The Pracheen Kala Kendra will bestow the 'Seventh Guru Madan Lal Koser-Guru Shobha Koser award' on kathak legend Padma Vibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj at a function to be held at Tagore Theatre on February 12. The award carries a citation, shawl, memento and cash prize of one-lakh rupees, "The most accomplished dancers of international repute will present choreographies especially designed by the legend," informs Kendra secretary Sajal Koser. Brijmohan Nath Mishra, popularly known as Pandit Birju Maharaj, a leading exponent of the Lucknow Kalka-Bindadin Gharana of Kathak dance in India, comes from a family of dancers. He took Kathak to new heights and left an indelible mark with his performance in films like Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Dil To Pagal Hai, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Devdas and others.
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Patiala girl cuts a music album
I have seen a time when there would be rows of some 100 violinists working on a single song, but not any more. A single keyboard and one can replicate as many sounds and whatever instrument one wants," says Surendra Singh Attara, ace violinist in Bollywood, while comparing the music scene now and four decades back when he joined the industry. In the city to release Paisa Paisa, his newest album, Surendra shares excerpts from his journey. "I started my career when I was 14-years old and in two years of hardwork under my guru Ram Prasad Sharma, I got to work with almost every celebrated director, singer or composer," says Surendra, who has worked with the likes of Shankar Jaikishan, Naushad, RD Burman, Anu Malik and Salim Sulaiman. Success in the film industry depends a lot on luck, believes Surendra. "I was lucky enough because I did not have to worry about making ends meet. All credit for this goes to my two sons who are well placed and can afford me," he says. Upset that advancement in technology has rendered many artistes jobless, he is still hopeful that there would be a time when artistes would be valued once again. Patiala wonder
The lead song in Paisa Paisa has been sung by Asmita Garg, a 14-year-old. A contestant in Nikki Awaaz Punjab Di and many stage performances to her credit, Asmita aims to make a career in music. Surendra is all praise for the young talent. "Asmita has a certain charm in her voice like Asha Bhonsle." mona@tribunemail.com |
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Dia, Zayed’s first production — a romantic comedy
"With our first production we have put our money where our mouth is. Above all, 'Love, Breakups, Zindagi is an entertaining look at today's relationships. But it is also absolutely honest about it. It has characters that will imprint themselves on the hearts and minds of all viewers," Sangha told reporters here. Zayed and Dia will also feature in the film. Talking about their new venture, Dia said: "We sincerely believe that filmmaking is first and foremost about honesty. You need to be honest to your characters as actors, and you need to be honest to the story as a director. And we believe that we need to be honest to the audiences, delivering exactly what we promise." "How often have you had a brilliant idea and thought there was no way you could translate that on to the screen? Well, Born Free Entertainment intends to give talented storytellers the opportunity to do exactly that, no matter what genre, no matter what background they come from." The film will go on floors in March and is slated to hit screens August this year. Salim and Sulaiman Merchant will compose the music, while Javed Akhtar will pen the lyrics. — IANS
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Looking forward to full house with Patiala House
The first thing that strikes you about the 1971 born director Nikhil Advani is his confidence despite the debacle of Chandni Chowk to China. Nikhil debuted as a director with 2003 biggest hit Dharma Productions Kal Ho Na Ho. Later he directed a multistarrer Salaam-e-Ishq which got mixed reviews. Here is confident Nikhil Advani who knows what audience wants. He talks to Lifestyle on Patiala House, a Punjabi family drama starring Akshaye Kumar and Anushka Sharma. Are you expecting Patiala House to be a hit? All I know is that I loved making this robust, no holds-barred Punjabi family drama. It is a film in which I have explored a new world. It is different from what I have done in the past. So its success should not be surprising. So, what is it about Patiala House that makes it different? It is the kind of film that promises something for everyone. Its powerful story told honestly and enacted sincerely, is the USP and it will build a good connect between the characters and the viewers. Why did you think of Akshay Kumar for the lead role? Patiala House would not have happened without Akshay. I along with Anvita Dutt Guptan had written the film with him in mind. I have always been a fan of Akshay, the star. I dare say this is his best performance so far. What is Patiala House all about? It is the story of a Sikh joint family, which has been living together in London. It is a film that every Indian will be able to identify with, as almost all Indians at some point have had the experience of living in a joint family. Why did you choose Anushka Sharma for the female lead? Anushka Sharma with three hits to her credit is the perfect director's actress — pun intended. She is professional, punctual and comes on the sets ready to be moulded. As Simran she has done brilliant job in this film. She is now a hot property in Bollywood. Who are all creative people behind the film? Anvita Dutt Guptan is the writer, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy does the music. The film is produced by Bhushan Kumar and Mukesh Talraja under the banners People Tree Films Pvt Ltd, T-Series and Hari Om Productions. Your next project? Ab Dilli Door Nahin, an animated film, is my next project. It is expected to hit the screens very soon. — Dharam Pal
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Bryan Adam’s concert tickets selling like hot cakes As Bryan Adams begins his five-city India tour this Friday, tickets for his concerts are fast disappearing, with Delhi topping the sales. But the Canadian rocker has a lot more planned on his trip. According to a source from the organising team, an audience of over 20,000 people is expected at each of his concerts. The tickets are priced at Rs.10,000 for seats in the VVIP Lounge, Rs.4, 000 for the gold ticket and Rs.2, 000 for the silver ticket. "Since last week, 15,000 tickets have been sold in each centre. Delhi tops the list in ticket sales so far," said the source, without giving any specific figures. The star, known for hits like Summer of 69, Everything I do, Have you ever really loved a woman, Cloud No.9, Here I am, arrives in Mumbai Friday. He will be performing at the Micromax Bryan Adams Live in Concert India Tour to be held in Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad Feb 11-16. In Mumbai, Bryan Adams will perform at the MMRDA Grounds, Bandra Kurla Complex and ace Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Davar and hip hop singer Hard Kaur will do an audience warm-up before the singer takes to the stage. Actress Priyanka Chopra too might perform a little act at the Mumbai concert to promote her upcoming film 7 Khoon Maaf. However, her performance is yet to be confirmed. The guest list for the Mumbai concert is star studded with names like Rani Mukerji, Vidya Balan, Akshay Kumar, Twinkle Khanna, as well as businessmen like Mukesh Ambani, among others on it. Actor Sanjay Dutt was invited as well, but he regrets he won't be able to make it, as he will be busy shooting. In Pune, it will be held at Amanora Township at Magarpatta; NSIC Grounds in Delhi; Palace Grounds in Bangalore and at HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad. Adams is performing in India after 10 years and fans are eagerly waiting for his concert. Adams has a jam-packed to-do-list during his India tour. He will be involved with choreographer Remo D'souza's directorial venture F.A.L.T.U to launch a special portal, which will make it easier to download songs. This event will take place in New Delhi and Hyderabad. In Delhi, the 51-year-old would announce his support to 15-20 centres of NGO IMPACT that looks into education of children between eight to 16 years of age. — IANS
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Beckham rescues stranded family Soccer star David Beckham played the Good Samaritan by rescuing a family whose car broke down in the midst of busy traffic near his house. A grey Nissan Primera, owned by Paul Long, was stranded at the busy roundabout near Beckham's house in Sawbridgeworth, Herts. The 35-year-old sportsman came to the rescue of Long and his two children to help push the motor to safety, reported a publication online. "David had negotiated his way through the traffic on foot. I wound the window down and said, 'You're David Beckham!' His next words were, 'Are you OK?' I said, 'Yes, but can you push us over to the side?' He said, 'I'll try'," said Long, 47. Long was taking his son Fabien, eight, and daughter Josephine, six, to school when his gearbox failed and they got stuck. The LA Galaxy midfielder's helpful gesture overwhelmed Long, who said, "The emotion of it all got to me. I said, 'Thank you David. I love you, mate!' I think he was slightly embarrassed. My kids were awestruck." — PTI
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Keira Knightley’s million-dollar pad Hollywood beauty Keira Knightley is making a fresh start after her split from actor Rupert Fiend and has moved into a new home, which she bought for USD 3.2 million.
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Bieber praises ‘father figure’ Will Smith Singer Justin Bieber says Will Smith has become a father figure to him and he has huge respect for the Hollywood superstar and his family. "The Smith family has been really amazing to me and really supportive in everything I'm doing. The family are just really nice and they are really good people," a website quoted Bieber as saying. The teen sensation has revealed he looks up to the Hollywood superstar and his family wife Jada Pinkett Smith and children Trey, Jaden and Willow - as they have all given him lots of useful advice. — IANS
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Her security concerns were highlighted after US Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney was seen eating there a few nights earlier with just one guard. Restaurant manager Brad Fuller confirmed the double security sweep. — ANI Jennifer Aniston
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Smita Patil wore a flimsy see-through red dress in a scene from Chakra (1982)
Bollywood actors Dia Mirza and Zayed Khan, who have launched their production house Born Free Entertainment, have announced that their first film is a romantic comedy titled Love, Breakups, Zindagi. Written and directed by their third partner, Sahil Sangha, it will see Cyrus Sahukar, Tisca Chopra, Satyadeep Misra, Pallavi, Vaibhav Talwar and newcomer Auritra Ghosh and Umang in the lead roles.
The actress splashed out on the 18th Century house in one the poshest areas of East London, reported a publication online. The property boasts of a cinema room, dressing room, library and a music parlour. Knightley, 26, has become a regular of the London party scene after splitting from Fiend, whom she dated for more than three years.
— PTI
Friends star Jennifer Aniston is said to have sent her security squad twice to check out a restaurant in Dallas before she dined there. Aniston, 41, was seen dining at Al Biernat's with her Just Go With It cast, including actor Adam Sandler and four bodyguards, a publication reported.