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Go for butterfly tops this summer
For fashionistas who follow style trends from Milan to Paris, the Oscars have given enough hints as what to expect. Though the fashion gurus predict lace, crochet, asymmetrical lines and bold new colours as the fashion mantra for spring/summer 2011, for our city, which has always been fashion-conscious, here's what to expect this season. For the youth
Economical and suiting the pockets of the youth, Madame's spring-summer collection includes jeggings, shorts, balloon skirts, shirts, butterfly tops and kimonos. Says Akhil Duggar, creative director, Madame, "The 2011 Madame's spring summer collection is inspired by flowers and colours. So, this season you are going to see a lot of colour." Though lace would be a staple in Madame's collection, the line is symmetrical and follows a casual trend (read wearable by a normal young girl). Talk about colours and Akhil says, "This season pink and white are back with a bang. Violet and purple are still there but the tone is lighter and brighter. Take your pick
Ballet skirts are the trend of the season. Inspired by Natalie Portman's Black Swan attire, it has created a good market this season. Check out Ten West in Sector 10 and Waga, also in Sector 10, for a variety of skirts. If you are a dress person go for lavender, purple, gold and lacy outfits. They are hip and happening. For cotton, one can visit Fabindia. Their summer collection includes floral patterns, vibrant hues and a variety of skirts, backless dresses and tops. Fashion essentials *
For make-up, go for smoky eyes and pastel shades. Natalie and Mila dazzled at the Oscars with the trendy eye make-up. *
Rosy cheeks are back in spring summer 2011 fashion trends list. *
Glossy lipstick, shiny mauve lipstick and coco shine lip colour are best suited for this spring summer. *
Accessories like tassel earrings, glittering handbags and Cinderella heels are on top of the trend. |
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Models in the making
For a tag like Gladrags, it was way below par — the crowd, the turnout and even the footfall. The Gladrags Megamodel and Manhunt Contest 2011 auditions at Panjab University were, if not altogether dismal, certainly a disappointing affair. Even though among a bunch full of contestants, engineers, diploma-holders in filmmaking, sportspersons, forensic science disciples… all were present. The ten o' clock scheduled event doesn't get underway till about two hours after. When finally it does, the troops keep barging in and out, some to make it, others to help their friends make it; still some others to see what's making! "I can do push ups… I can sing… I love hanging out with my friends and sleeping…" from nineteen-year-olds to twenty-nine-year olds, like we said…were all there! Perhaps, it was the variety that kept the judges cautious and blunt. As Candy Brar remarked, "You should always have a back-up plan.” Or as actor Ali Merchant questioned one among the lot, "Don't you think it's an insecure industry? …you have to be very disciplined." Meanwhile, the ruckus and the auditions continue hand-in-hand. Shares Gary Sandhu, one of the judges, on the turnout, "This was anyways meant to be just a campus screening. Also when we come looking for fresh faces next time, it will be much easier." manpriya@tribunemail.com
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Bollywood to add colour to Will-Kate’s reception Bollywood will meet English Waltz at the 'wedding of the decade', with Indian choreographer Sandip Soparrkar performing at the London reception of UK's Prince William and fiance Kate Middleton.
Soparrkar and wife, model Jesse Randhawa, will perform at the reception which will be attended by 600 of the world's most high profile leaders and celebrities, said sources close to the dancing couple. "They received an enquiry about performing at the reception of Will and Kate and after discussing the price, it was confirmed that Sandeep and Jesse will perform. The organisers wanted a combination of Bollywood and English Waltz," said the source. The choreographer has already made a selection of 10 Bollywood numbers and the organisers will choose four songs from the repertoire for the performance. "Bollywood is a big thing in the UK, thanks to the Indian diaspora and the performance will be the last dance and they wanted it to be a fun way to end the evening," added the source. Soparrkar and Randhawa had earlier performed at pop star Katy Perry's Indian nuptials with British comedian Rusell Brand and at 'Queen of Pop' Madonna's fiftieth birthday party. The royal wedding, to be held at the Westminister Abbey, will be a grand affair with a budget of 12 million pounds and sticking to royal protocol, about 200 political figures and 100 foreign royals and dignitaries have been asked. But Soparrkar will perform during most exclusive part of the day, a dinner dance hosted by Prince Charles, which according to reports will be held at the Buckhingham Palace. The dancer had met the Prince of Wales when he visited the sets of Mangal Pandey in 2005 and had received a letter of recognition from the British royal for his work in promoting ballroom dancing in India. — PTI |
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Steven Spielberg making film on
Wikileaks?
Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg is reportedly working on a movie about the WikiLeaks scandal after buying the rights to a book detailing the inside workings of the website and its director Julian Assange.
The movie mogul's DreamWorks company has paid for the rights to 'WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy' and are planning on adapting it into an investigative thriller on screen, reported The Guardian. The tome by Guardian journalists David Leigh and Luke Harding was published last month. The book charts Assange's life and times, from his itinerant childhood through to the creation of the WikiLeaks website in 2006. It also provides the inside story of Assange's explosive partnership with the Guardian and the release, last December, of more than 250,000 secret diplomatic cables. Talking about the proposed film, Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of Guardian News & Media, said, "It's Woodward and Bernstein meets Stieg Larsson meets Jason Bourne. Plus the odd moment of sheer farce and, in Julian Assange, a compelling character who goes beyond what any Hollywood scriptwriter would dare to invent." DreamWorks has also secured rights to 'Inside WikiLeaks' by Assange's former colleague Daniel Domscheit-Berg, leading to speculation that the studio executives are planning a heavily fictionalised thriller. — PTI |
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Get ready for a thrilling experience
Star cast: Anupam Kher, Pawan Malhotra, Tena Desae, Rushad Rana Director: Yogesh Mittal Debutant director has added twists and turns to the plot of Yeh Faasle, a thriller, which is based on the father-daughter relationship. Yogesh has come up with his first independent venture after assisting Boney Kapoor. Actor Tena Desae also makes her Bollywood debut with this movie and actor Pawan Malhotra has a pivotal role. Watch this movie at the theatres near you. — Dharam Pal
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Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey to lend voice for Rio
Fox Star Studio has roped in a host of Bollywood artistes for its upcoming Hollywood 3D extravanganza Rio. Vinay Pathak and Ranvir Shorey will dub for the Hindi version of the movie, while Shaan will lend his voice for the sound track. Rio is a 3D animation film, directed by Carlos Saldanha of Ice Age fame. Set in Rio de Janeiro and the rainforests of Brazil, the comedy-adventure centres on Blu, a rare macaw who thinks he is the last of his kind. When Blu discovers there's another, and that it's a she, he leaves the comforts of his cage in Minnesota, and heads to Rio. Fox has roped in Ranvir Shorey and Vinay Pathak to dub for the characters "Nico" and "Pedro" (Blu's friends), respectively in the movie. The voice-overs for the main characters, in Hindi, are yet to be finalised. Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star Studios India, says, "To make this adventure even more exciting for Indian audiences we have roped in talented artistes like Ranvir Shorey, Vinay Pathak and Shaan. We are sure they will add their own charm to the amusing characters." The film also has voice-overs by Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Robin Thicke, George Lopez and Tracy Morgan. Rio is slated for a simultaneous worldwide 3D release on April 8. In India, it will be released in English and Hindi. — PTI
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Tena Desae makes debut in Bollywood
Tena Desae, the beautiful model-turned actor from Bangaluru is all set to rock the silver screen as she makes her debut in Tinsel town with another debutant director Yogesh Mittal's Yeh Faasley that explores the father-daughter relationship. She is the latest sensation and is excited about her first movie that opens this Friday. Tena Desae thrilled on being introduced in Bollywood took time out for a candid chat. Introduce yourself?
I am a graduate in business and finance and always wanted to be an actor. Luckily when I came to Mumbai I got some big ad campaigns. I also participated in channel V's Get Gorgeous. Unfortunately I could not win but still that was a great opportunity for me. I am really thankful to God that I got a big break in Yeh Faasley. I am also debuting in Hollywood with The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel with Dev Patel. How did 'Yeh Faasley' happen?
Yogesh Mittal was looking for a new girl who could play the character of Arunima. I met the director through my casting agency people. I gave a convincing performance in front of an audience and finally got selected. I had to undergo a 20-day long training for the lead role. Why Bollywood first?
It just happened to me and I am really happy with the release of my first film. Bollywood chose me and it's been a great experience so far. I work harder everyday and am learning a lot. I learned so much from director Yogesh Mittal who has assisted Boney Kapoor on several of his films. How was it working with Anupam Kher and Pawan Malhotra?
I loved working with both senior actors. Anupam Kher who is What is the film all about?
It is based on a father-daughter relationship. The thriller takes off when the daughter discovers a will left behind by her late mother. There are some intriguing twists and turns in Yeh Faasley. What are your upcoming projects?
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a Hollywood movie is set to release very soon. Apart from this, there is Zayed Khan-Ranvijay Singh starrer Sharafat Gayee Tel Lene and Pravin Dabas's debut movie as a director Shahi Dhande Galat Bande. — Dharam Pal |
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Lanes Karma here and now Joyshri Lobo Karma: The principle of retributive justice determining a person’s state of life and the state of his reincarnations as the effect of his past deeds. (Collins) “As you sow, so shall you reap.” (Bible) Both are examples of the carrot and stick doctrines of all religions. Seems a fair bargain between an entity called God and his/her creations. Unfortunately, the same entity we are referring to, also allows little escape routes. A cry for mercy shall bring forgiveness. Frequent visits to places of worship, daan, and good actions will get us the supreme nod of approval. Frankly, all these scenarios, are creations of our minds and a means of generating fear, making institutions and people more powerful and dictatorial. Today, many of us feel that karma is not found in some other dimension of the universe, but exists here and now. Very human traits that make us exemplary amongst our fellow beings, become major stumbling blocks if not reigned in. These virtues turned faults bring us down and are our karma in this life. I pride myself on being a good parent. Over the years, I tried my best and followed the rules. However, times change and so do norms. The discipline and firmness of yesteryear is the cruelty and suppression of today. Child psychologists have turned theories on their head. When a child-turned-adult says, “This is where you failed me!” she is telling the truth. She is doing so much more for her children and resents the fact that you did not do as much for her. She has progressed in her thinking and actions. Unwittingly you did fall short of the norms. You say sorry and retire into a corner, defeated. You were proud of your seemingly perfect parenting, but the variations of time proved you wrong and became your punishment or karma. A crorepati marries his daughter with great pomp and show. The invitations are delivered over a box of caramelised almonds. A famous actor entertains the guests. Hollow eyed, fatigued waiters pass around twenty non-vegetarian snacks. (Later in the night, the servers will eat dal and rice.) Dinner is yet to come. The bride and groom look made-for-each-other. The stars are right, family wealth matched, status maintained according to lucre and job profiles. Five years later, the young wife has gone back to her parents, the groom is painting the town red. There seems a fair share of karma all around and it is doled out here and now, not in the after life, for the premise on which the wedding was built was anything but love. A well-known politician and a bureaucrat are loved by virtue of their positions. Over time, both fail to distinguish between sycophancy and genuine feelings. The day their powers end, few recognise them, meet them or heed their calls. They cannot understand the lack of respect. On introspection, both realise that the key ingredients are humility and a sharing of good energies, not the positions they held. Not understanding this has brought on karma in this life. A woman who relies on her beauty, charm and sexuality to get jobs done, does not notice the lines and slowing down of age. One day, she is left alone in a crowd-unnoticed. The tremendous hurt caused, is her punishment for thinking she was better than the rest. She did not getting her priorities right.
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A new study has revealed for the first time that the more honest and humble you are, the better is your job performance. “This study shows that those who possess the combination of honesty and humility have better job performance,” said lead author Wade Rowatt, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University. “In fact, we found that humility and honesty not only correspond with job performance, but also predicted job performance above and beyond any of the other five personality traits like agreeableness and conscientiousness,” he added. Rowatt and his colleagues surveyed 269 employees in 25 different companies across 20 states in the US who provide health care for challenging clients. Supervisors of the employees in the study then rated the job performance of each employee on 35 different job skills and described the kind of customer with whom the employee worked. The researchers found that those who self-reported more honesty and humility were scored significantly higher by their supervisors for their job performance. They defined honesty and humility as those who exhibit high levels of fairness, greed-avoidance, sincerity and modesty. “Honest and humble people could be a good fit for occupations and organizations that require special attention and care for products or clients,” said study co-author Megan Johnson. “Narcissists, on the other hand, who generally lack humility and are exploitative and selfish, would probably be better at jobs that require self-promotion,” he added. The study currently appears online in the journal Personality and Individual Differences. —ANI
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VLCC Health Care Limited has introduced a special bouquet of skin enhancement services called I-Shine. This technologically advanced and ultra safe line of skin services is designed to transform the skin to look flawless and radiant. The I-Shine Facial Enrichment services are specially designed to address a range of skin concerns including acne, dull skin, photo damage, lack of radiance and pre-party enhancement. The services are meant for improving the appearance and rejuvenating the skin on areas like the back, neck, chest, hands, elbows, legs and knees. —TNS
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Music is Sultana’s constant companion
Music is like an over possessive jealous spouse that won’t even allow you to look at others, let alone take another lover.” With these words Begum Parveen Sultana, leading Hindustani classical vocalist, explains the unswerving dedication that is required to be a classical singer. So sitting at Pracheen Kala Kendra, a day prior to her vocal recital for Bhaskar Rao Sangeet and Nritya Samellan on Friday evening, she shares how even while talking to Press she has music on her mind. Actually music preoccupies her 24X7, is her constant companion, besides of course her husband and guru Ustad Dilshad Khan with whom she often shares the stage for some delightful jugalbandis. Jugalbandis are not a competition
More so, when she sings with her husband. “When we sing together, it’s our mutual understanding, the fact that we are born together for music that reflects.” She believes that gaana and khaana anyway go together. An excellent cook she not only uses similes to compare music to food, “Our classical music is like pure milk out of which any sweet dish can be prepared” but also shares how she dished out a sumptuous meal for Ustaad Bismillah Khan at Paris where she had gone for the Festival of India. Having travelled several continents for her concerts she knows music knows no boundaries. Proud to be an Assamese
She is equally grateful to Maharashtra, where she is settled and which has “given me so much” She remembers her first performance at Sawai Gandharva Music Festival in her formative years at the behest of late Pandit Bhimsen Joshi who had heard her at Harlballabh Sangeet Samellan when she was barely 14. She recalls Pandit Joshi as an elder brother “who treated me like his real sister.” Starting young
She deems is important but also reminds that when she began her musical odyssey under the tutelage of her father Ikramul Majid, “Times were different. There was no issue of doing homework. Riyaaz was all we did and still is a vital aspect of my life. Actually every performance for me is a riyaaz.” On a lighter vein she reveals how her father taught her neither to conceal her riyaaz nor her age. So she has no hesitation in divulging her date of birth (year included). She is equally forthright about other issues. Whether classical artists should sing for films
“Yes, why not.” Even though her forays into playback singing have been few and far her song Hume tum se pyar kitna from the film Kudrat is hailed as timeless melody. But then she, who has also sung for Adnan Sami, in the movie 1920 is categorical, “Make no mistake composers know my style and also the fact that I will not compromise.” Those who know her music through her film songs she says, “They may not understand classical music but have a good ear nevertheless.” Anyway, she feels that classical music is the mother of all music and hence there is no escaping it “for you always return to your mother.” Herself a mother of talented daughter Shadaab Sultana Khan as we wonder whether she has inherited her voice, she quips, “She sings very well but has her own voice.” Nevertheless, the begum who thinks talent must be encouraged and is training many shishyas does promise to give us many more Sultanas. Amen! |
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Of figures and forms
Art holds different connotation for different people. For some it might be an extravagant display of one’s talent while for others it may serve as an outlet for their emotions. Whatever the case may be, for all the art connoisseurs out there, the painting and sculpture workshop at Kalagram is the place to be. Sculpting success
“Love and freedom are universal desires and I have tried to portray these in my sculptures,” says Chandra B. Rasaily, who sculpted a wooden figure of a lady with a bird. “Everyone longs for love and yet feel free at the same time. We are not aesthetic beings. My sculpture portrays a female figure which embodies love,” he says. Chandra feels that love and the feminine form go hand in hand. “The feminine form is the first thing that crosses your mind when you think of love. I have complemented it with a bird because it symbolises freedom. Moreover, women inspire me a lot. They have an amazing ability to love and forgive,” he says. Master strokes
“I paint without any definite concept in mind. My paintings are a culmination of abstract ideas,” says RM Singh, artist. He feels that the mind is cluttered with ideas at all times and what comes out on canvas is a mixture of all. “Creativity is a subconscious process. Working on one single idea is a Herculean task in itself. So, I would say that my works are compilations of ideas that have occurred to me till now,” he says. However, he believes that practice and skill are key components while displaying one’s art. “Ideas engulf your mind at all times and it ultimately depends on the artist how he moulds them into creative pieces of art,” says Singh. |
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185 artists on the wall!
The first international drawing and graphic prints exhibition is one-of-its-kind — on at the Government College of Art-10, it has taken the initiative of promoting artworks from different parts of the world. “Senior artists and students from various social set-ups have participated in our endeavour. As many as 185 artists from different corners of the world - UK, Canada, Sweden, Finland and Hong Kong - have put in their sincere efforts to make this little step a success. Our group - Society for the Development of Films and Arts — is looking forward to more such global events,” says Suresh Pushpakar, general secretary of the group. The artworks on display are an inimitable commentary on society, nature, religion and many human emotions. “Artworks from the same place but by different artists had slight similarities, maybe because they come from the same social set-up or share their technical knowledge. So when one sees the award-winning graphic print by Gunilla Lofgren called ‘Yoni’, one can spot the stark difference between the works from our country and this Swedish creation,” adds Pushpakar. There is an array of experienced and fresh drawings on display. “The oldest form of graphic printing ‘lithograph’ to the techniques of etching, manual printing through paper plates etc, one can find everything here. The younger artists are more experimental, but need to be patient,” says Sanjeev Kaushal, a member of the group. Generally, an artist needs peace of mind all the time to think better and deeper. However, Pushpakar has a completely different take, “Artists from over-crowded metros like Mumbai and Delhi are doing much better than people here. Chandigarh has a good atmosphere for artists, but art can happen in any situation. An artist always lives in two contrasting worlds - one of his own thoughts and the other of the society around.”
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A war of independence didn’t stop him nor did two bouts of sectarian bloodshed and an Islamist military government, which banned his work. Bangladesh’s famous rickshaw artist R K Das kept on painting. But the wily 75-year-old, whose masterful depictions of Bollywood film stars adorn tens of thousands of rickshaws in his native Dhaka, has finally been defeated: by the car. “The golden age of rickshaw painting has passed,” Das said at his small workshop in the historic old quarter of the Bangladeshi capital. “When Dhaka was a small city, everyone used a rickshaw — even a groom would use a rickshaw to ride to his bride’s house. Then, I would work day and night painting rickshaws; now, no one cares,” he said with a sigh. Rickshaws were first introduced in Bangladesh in the 1930s from Japan, where the three-wheeled vehicles were known as nintaku. The idea of decorating the leg-powered contraptions took off in Bangladesh in the 1950s with the tradition following the simple yet colourful style then used by painters producing movie billboards. “There are rickshaws in other parts of South Asia but nowhere are the vehicles so artistically decorated as in Dhaka — just as unique as painted trucks are to Pakistan,” said Abdus Sattar, an oriental art professor at Dhaka University. “Decorating rickshaws was a way for drivers to compete for business — they wanted to make their vehicle as beautiful as possible to attract as many clients as they could,” said Sattar. “So we saw the birth of a unique folk art form. It’s a uniquely Bangladeshi craft. It’s a people’s art and its motifs are simple: cinemas, animals, landscapes or monuments,” he said. Every inch of a rickshaw, from hood to spokes, is typically decorated but each vehicle also has a large tin plate set on the lower back, which features the most elaborate paintings. When Das first started painting rickshaw plates in 1953, rickshaw drivers would queue around the block to get his paintings of buildings, idyllic Bangladeshi landscapes or movie stars on their tin plate. But over the past three decades, Dhaka has transformed from a city of less than 100,000 people to a sprawling metropolis of 13 million people. As Dhaka has grown, rickshaws have fallen from the grace. Some half a million of the slow-moving tricycles still ply Dhaka’s streets, but they are now seen as a major cause of the city’s crippling congestion, which forces commuters to spend hours in jams. —AFP
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Characters from centuries-old myths and folktales have adorned the covers of children’s comic books in India for decades, but a new wave of graphic novelists has emerged to shake up the art form. Their quest for ultra-Indian superheroes has created new crossover comics aimed at both children and adults, while others have boldly gone further, tackling issues such as suicide and homosexuality — taboo topics in much of India. “We are the new recorders of history. That’s how I consider myself,” said Sarnath Banerjee, whose graphic novel “Corridor” is set in New Delhi and delves into politics and sex.“I write, I see through my own eyes and I put it out.” Generations of young Indians have grown up with the Amar Chitra Katha series based on Hindu epics and mythology, and it remains one of India’s best-selling comic books series. But the success of Banerjee and others, such as the pioneering 1994 black-and-white “River of Stories” by Orijit Sen that dealt with the social and environmental impact of a controversial dam, are prompting changes even among such traditional comic publishers. Some are also looking to create brand new superheroes that are quintessentially Indian to see off competition from the likes of Spiderman and Batman, who have gained popularity with the onslaught of American cartoons and movies on Indian TV. Indian superheroes are not the “cape-flying, spandex-wearing guy who is flying about, but a guy who is practical, who has an Indian outfit, who can connect to an Indian,” said Karan Vir Arora, editor-in-chief of Vimanika Comics, a Mumbai start-up. — Reuters
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Friday Film: Yeh Faasle