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Reality bites!
The fact that Sunny is a Canadian-born pornstar has got people to sneak into the websites that give a lowdown on her — up, close and personal. At the same time, it has also ushered-in a debate on the sensibilities of television. The girl has brought in a mass awakening of the ethics of media; made audiences look right, left and centre when she breaks into a pole dance in one of the episodes. Suddenly everyone wants to get a low-down on the duties of censor board. While some 'secretly'; all blushingly fish out more information on Sunny Leone, we toss the question — is our country ready to see an adult film star on reality show to boost ratings? Well, Mahesh Bhatt says why not! What about you? jasmine@tribunemail.com
Individual take Personally, I would not want to watch a show that advocates cat-fights and negativity. I would rather watch something meaningful on television. As far as Sunny Leone as a contestant is concerned, the whole reason that she has been cast is because she has a controversial background. The channel has done this on purpose to gain TRPs. Despite this, audiences are enjoying the show, so we can't say anything about whether we need such contestants on reality show or not.
What's wrong? How do people know Sunny Leone is a pornstar? People who are creating a hue and cry about her being on the show have seen her videos! Bigg Boss is a reality series and the channel can bring in anyone; what's wrong in that.
Not right We should understand that television is an entertainment medium that is watched by the old and young alike. I also don't deny the fact that youngsters these days have a lot of exposure, but at the same time the makers of the show cannot overrule the fact that kids also watch Bigg Boss.
Popular choice First and foremost, we haven't accepted the fact that porn is a big industry in itself. Someone coming in from that area is bound to create uproar. More than helping the show, Sunny Leone has become popular — her videos and websites have got maximum hits. Everybody would have secretly watched something of the porn industry, but a contestant from that place is not acceptable to us. It is strange but people have started liking Sunny and by the end of the show, she will win many hearts.
Getting real What is the problem with a pornstar in a reality show? First, the channel has roped her in because they want hype for their show and second we cannot deny that pornography is also an industry. Also, it is a reality show, which means it is about real people and real feelings. Sunny is not doing anything unacceptable on the show; in fact she is better than the other contestants - far well-behaved and organised. If the hype is that kids also watch this show, well then it is parents who have to take a call. Do you think they wouldn't know anything about the pornstar!
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High designs
Mona Renu Khanna, a leading architect from the region, is known for finishing projects ahead of time. With creativity being her staple food, Renu never repeats her designs that are based on eco-friendly principles. Her recent Punjab Forest Department Building and Chapparchiri War Memorial have won her many accolades. The woman who is successfully managing her family life, profession, social responsibility and spiritual progress shares her take on life. The beginning: As a child I was interested in theatre, art and engineering. I chose architecture as I had the right aptitude for it. Work approach: Before starting any project, I believe in thorough research. For Chapparchiri War Memorial, I studied almost 10 books on history before arriving at the final design. The greatest challenge here was to create a unique monument and that too in less than a year's time. We planned accordingly and managed to complete the building in 11 months! Precious memories: I won my first architecture competition in 1989 when my elder son Sakul was born. Working in Punjab during the days of militancy was not easy. My building ACSTI was in Jalandhar and I had to go for supervision; once my car was shot at and we came back without the front wind screen! Career milestones: A big landmark in my career graph was when I won JK Architect of the year Award in 1999. I designed houses for the New Mansa Devi Cooperative Housing Society and Central Government Employees Welfare Housing Organisation. The greatest reward, however, is when the users of my buildings tell me my concepts, which make the building a better place to live in. For Punjab Forest Department, which was unique in its shape, I won not one but three awards. My own house, which I of course designed, was also published in UK-based magazine BBC Good Homes. With Chapparchiri War Memorial finished, I am looking forward to developing a tourist complex at the Wagah Border. Life's blessings: Indulging in creative work gives me the real happiness — be it art, music or theatre. I am also very fond of travelling and have seen many countries. Recently, I did a course in film-making and now am in the process of directing a film on drug problem. Art of living and meditation rejuvenates me. I take out time to go to drug de-addiction centre at PGI, Chandigarh. Renu shares her success mantras:
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Keep the child-like enthusiasm for all your projects.
n Deepen your roots and widen your horizons like a tree (be grounded and well-connected to your roots, your culture and yet be open to new technology).
n Enjoy the journey of making without being worried about the destination. It's only when you enjoy the joy of making that you can actually give your 100 per cent.
n Believe in yourself and never compromise on your concepts. Many a times it difficult to convince clients, but ultimately they do appreciate if you are able to put across your point of view.
n Think big, think global. A turtle only gets noticed when he sticks his neck out. So do something different. mona@tribunemail.com
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All is well...
Then we meet up with one person who doesn't want you to sacrifice the sinful food, but wants you to take the middle path. Namita Jain, nutritionist and wellness expert, qualified from the US, has joined hands with Diet Mantra, a nation-wide network of diet and wellness clinics. Namita is a fitness mentor of top Bollywood celebrities and has written many books on fitness. Almost twenty years into this field, the pretty lady is not against food. "The idea of this tie-up is to provide people a permanent lifestyle change. The mantra of fitness is not to stop eating, but analyse and then eat. "Every individual has different dietary requirements that need to be assessed and worked upon," she says. Namita lays stress on monitoring and motivation by dieticians, which helps the client stick to the diet plan. In this respect, Diet Mantra is going to be the first professionally-managed diet and wellness clinic where dietitians, under the supervision of Namita Jain, will provide individual consultancy to the clients. Says Aditi Srivastava, director, Diet Mantra, "All the dietitians will be trained and monitored on a daily basis by a team of professionals led by Namita Jain through specially designed software. Besides weight management, we also offer special diet plans for ailments like hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetics, thyroid, osteoporosis, which have been especially developed by Namita Jain." When it's about food and wellness, we can't help asking her about Bollywood celebrity Deepika Padukone, whom she has helped with a diet chart. She smiles, "Deepika is fit and she has it in her genes. She doesn't believe in crash dieting, neither do I advocate it." For this wellness expert, food is a most important factor in the promotion of health and the wrong kind of food is the most important factor in the promotion of disease! "Just go in for a balanced approach. Crash-dieting can lead to health problems. Lastly, it is not dieting but editing of the diet that is the secret to good health."
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Taste-ing time
It was a glitzy evening at Nita Mehta's Kelong in Ludhiana on Sunday. The inauguration of Nita's restaurant saw beauty queens, including Ms World Canada and Ms World Ireland, add oodles of glamour to the show.
Nita's restaurant promises to offer a five-star dining experience. The decor and ambience concentrates on youthful liveliness. In a corner, a 'sheesha Bar' has been introduced for the guests to lounge and relax with different flavours of 'hookah' that are offered. Nita's take: "I believe in presenting tested quality and taste; the cuisine at Kelong has to be par excellence!" She plans to be a hands-on restaurateur! The restaurant will also have a 'Cooking Academy' where cookery enthusiasts can learn to prepare exotic dishes! "We plan to build up a chain of restaurants and cookery academies all over India, with the first few coming up in Punjab. Being a Punjabi myself, Punjab has always been close to my heart. Moreover, Punjabis enjoy good food and festivities like no one else!" says Nita, who's the highest selling cookbook author in the country, having sold over 6 million books! Her cookery institutes in Delhi and the NCR train many people every year. —TNS
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Stay healthy
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Boman is back…
A professional photographer, Boman Irani had done theatre and featured in many TV commercials before he entered Bollywood. Having delivered some memorable performances since then, the versatile 52-year-old actor says he is lucky to be there at a time when different directors are bringing different styles to cinema.
"I like to call myself a newcomer because I have been in this industry barely for eight years. But I have been fortunate enough to get the opportunity to work with some of the best actors and directors of Bollywood. So it has been a wonderful learning experience," Boman told in an interview. "I have been lucky to work with directors like Shyam Benegal, Rajkumar Hirani and others in such a short span of time. So, I consider myself very lucky that I have got the opportunity to work with the people who make you look better on screen. Everyone gets a break, but how to convert that one break into opportunities is a matter of luck and sheer hard work," he added. The charismatic actor has always tried to stay away from the stereotypes and experimented with his roles, making sure he doesn't get typecast in any particular role. And he credits today's filmmakers for having different visions and executing their ideas differently. "What is happening is there is a different type of cinema with different directors and their vision. Different directors are giving different styles of storytelling. Like Anurag Basu has a different approach, so do Raju Hirani, Farhan Akhtar, Nagesh Kukunoor and Milan Luthria ," said Boman, who has worked in films like Munnabhai M.B.B.S., Being Cyrus and 3 Idiots. "All of them have different approaches. So they have different subjects to present with different treatments and automatically they create different characters. Sometimes they even write a character keeping an actor in mind," he added. His initial films Boom and Darna Mana Hai bit the dust at the box office. But his true calling came with Munnabhai M.B.B.S, in which his role as Dr. J.C. Asthana, had a sense of sarcastic comedy
to it. The movie did well at the box-office and there was no looking back for Boman, who always loved acting. And for the actor, this journey has been quite fruitful. "In all these years, there have been a lot of discoveries. I have made new friends, had many re-unions. There is a new understanding
with every director I have worked with. Over the period of years, I have seen their growth. They have evolved in their approach and hence I too have learnt from them," he said. "Like Farhan (Akhtar), I had worked with him five years back and when we started working on Don 2, I saw how he has evolved as a filmmaker. So you learn every day and evolve and grow," he added. With the release of Don 2: The King Is Back just around the corner, Boman reveals his character is the same as the one in Don: The Chase Begins Again, but situations have changed and so has the motivation of his character
Vardhaan. "In the trailer you have seen me in the orange prison suit. So the character is the same, he has spent five years in jail. And in all those years he has become hardened. As a person he has lost a little bit of shine and gloss. But he will come back because all this while he has been robbed of good food and good life. So the character is the same, but the motivation is different, situations are different,"
he said. Directed by Farhan Akhtar, Don 2: The King Is Back has Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra in the lead roles. It will release Dec 23. — IANS
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Baby boy for Aamir and Kiran
Actor Aamir Khan and wife Kiran Rao have been blessed with a baby boy through surrogate.
"It gives us the greatest joy to share with you the good news of the birth of our baby boy. This baby is especially dear to us because he was born to us after a long wait and some difficulty. Due to medical complications, we were advised to have a baby through IVF - surrogacy, and we feel very grateful to the Almighty that all has gone well.
"We are humbled by the greatness of God, the miracles of science, and the kindness and love of our families and friends in being there for us while respecting our privacy. We seek your good wishes and blessings for our child," Aamir and Kiran said in a statement. Aamir already has a daughter and son from his previous marriage to Reena Dutta, whom he divorced after being together for 15 years. The 46-year-old actor met Kiran on the sets of his 2001 hit Lagaan and married her after three years. The couple had earlier tried having a baby but Kiran suffered a miscarriage. "Congrats Aamir and Kiran. Lots of love to you and your little baby boy. So so happy for all 3 of you (sic)," director Kunal Kohli tweeted. — PTI
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Forever young
Veteran Bollywood actress Helen's debut Marathi film, One Room Kitchen, where she plays a Catholic woman waiting for the return of her son who is missing since the Kargil war, releases on December 16.
Helen, who has acted in hit movies like Khamoshi and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in the last few years dubbed her dialogues in Marathi on her own. Tilekar said he was looking for a Catholic face to essay the role and was overwhelmed when Helen readily accepted his offer. "Barring a few English lines, all Helenji's dialogues are in Marathi and I was surprised by her fluency in the language. She plays a Catholic woman living in a chawl (a group of one or two room housing units)," he said. Tilekar said Helen's jest for life and her passion towards work would shame any young actor of today. "One will not believe that she is 75 years old." Apart from Bharat Jadhav, Bhargavi Chirmule, Ashalata and a host of Marathi actors, the film will also see veteran actor Shriram Lagoo in a special appearance. — PTI
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Hrithik turns director
Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan is stepping behind the camera to assist his father filmmaker Rakesh Roshan in the sequel to 2006 superhero film Krissh.
The filmmaker confirmed the news, saying, "Hrithik always helps me out whenever we work together." The first schedule of the film, also starring Vivek Oberoi and Priyanka Chopra, started off Thursday and since Hrithik was not part of it, he decided to help with the direction. The actor has been calling the shots and taking creative decisions. This is not the first time that Hrithik will be assisting his father on a film. They previously worked together on films like Koyla and Karan Arjun. — IANS
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Mission India
Actor Anil Kapoor, who plays an Indian business tycoon in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, believes that the international film fraternity is gradually realising the importance of the Indian market.
"It's the third biggest economy, it's the second largest populated country in the world. People are understanding it. They know now India is a very very important country. They have to focus on India," the 51-year-old actor said here during a special screening of the latest Mission Impossible franchise. Anil will be seen in a cameo as businessman Brijnath in Tom Cruise-starrer Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, which was screened in Mumbai Sunday, a fortnight before its global release Dec 21. "I feel no role is small or big. It's in talent. Even one shot, one close-up is enough to prove what you are," said the actor who made a foray into Hollywood with Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire in 2008. Following the success of Slumdog Millionaire, Anil bagged a role in American TV series 24 and he believes other Bollywood actors have it in them to make it big in Hollywood. — IANS
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Nicki's Barbie moment
"It's just a one of a kind, limited edition for charity, and so I never thought Mattel would even pay attention to me. For me this is a very major moment, because it just shows that you can come from nothing and still be a force in the main world, a business woman, and hopefully a mogul one day," Minaj said in an interview. The toy, which features Minaj's signature hair and sparkly outfits, will be a one-of-a-kind model
that will be auctioned at Charity-buzz.com Dec 7 at the price $1000. All the money will go to Project Angel Food which helps those affected by HIV and AIDS. — IANS
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Meet the star
Proceeds from the auction will benefit the non-profit organisation Blessing in a Backpack. Also, open to a meet-and-greet for charity is actor Sean Penn. This isn't the first time Johansson has offered herself up for charity. Last year, she auctioned off a chance for four people to meet her on the opening night of her Broadway play, A View From the Bridge, which aided the earthquake victims of Haiti. — ANI Generous act: Scarlett Johansson
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Net shopping
The celebrity stylist who has dressed the likes of Anne Hathaway, Nicole Richie and Cameron
Diaz explained as she is often too busy to visit stores in person, she likes to shop online. "I love it because I don't get to go to stores as much as I'd like to," she said. — IANS Busy bee: Rachel Zoe
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Lovato's tattoo tale
"I think scars are like battle wounds-beautiful, in a way. They show what you've been through and how strong you are for coming out of it. My tattoos say 'Stay' and 'strong'. 'Stay' on one wrist and 'strong' on the other," she said. "Now I'm able to look at them and be thankful for being alive. I've been blessed over the past year to be able to start over," she said. — IANS
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Happy at 30
The Girls Aloud singer turned 30, last month and wasn't scared of this number. "It's been easy for me to accept turning 30 as the last 10 years
have been amazing. I can't exactly complain," she said. "I'm in a good place in my life in a lot of ways, so there's no reason to be freaked out. I'm really happy and that's the most important thing," she added. — IANS No complaints: Kimberley Walsh
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Abhi na jaao chod kar…
divya dutta When I first entered his office, years back, my heart was beating fast. I was meeting someone I thought was the ultimate in good looks and charm personified. As I entered his room, he, in his ineffable style said, "Divyaa, kaisi ho!" I pinched myself. I was with the evergreen Dev Anand. I had worn my favourite red. And I greeted him with my brightest smile. Just chatting with him could make you fall in love with cinema. He said he would call me whenever there is a role for me. By the time I left I was totally in love with my profession. So proud and happy to be an actor. His words were so inspiring. Years later I got a call and the voice on the other side was unmistakably of Dev Anand! "Main film bana raha hun aur tere liya bada hi khoobsoorat role hai! Tujhe mazza ayega." I was sure of that. My heart said I wanted to cherish the experience of working with the evergreen legend. And what an experience it was. Shooting for Chargesheet in Mahabaleshwar! He treated his actors like royalty. The producer came to me and said, "Dev saab ne poocha hai aapko kisi cheez ki zarurat ho to zarur bataiye." The gracious host! Shooting with him was mesmerising! His zest, his energy and enthusiasm for what he believed in was amazing. I was surprised to see the 87-year-old (sorry, young) legend, going about explaining his shots. I loved each moment. He was very happy and he told me, "Tu agar bees saal pehle bhi aayi hoti to khoob kaam karte!" That meant a lot to me. I always used to say Dev saab, you are a day younger than me. You are September 26 born and I am 25th! From then on, I was among his special guests. The premiere of Hum Dono, which I watched with him, was an experience of a life time! My last meeting with him was the premiere of Chargesheet. The shutterbugs went crazy clicking us. And he told me, "Enjoy the moment Divyaaa." Like he did always! Enjoyed each moment of his life. Lived on his terms, went away on his terms too...his way! But with him I don't feel he's gone. I pinch myself again! A legend like him should have defied death. I can't get the last picture of him out of my mind! His smiling face watching his film. And when I hugged him to say bye, he said, "Accha kaamm karti hai Divyaa!" Oh Dev saab, I get a lump in my throat when I think of you. But I will not say you are gone. You live forever in our hearts and your films. "Main zindagi ka sath nibhata chala gaya" was so you! As someone said yesterday, "He wasn't 88, he just turned 22 four times! With him an era ends. Where do I stop talking about him! All I can say is, "Abhi na jaao chod kar, ki dil aabhi bhara nahi…" (Dutta is a Bollywood actor)
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Winter-proof
satish narula Nature is great. It keeps tab on every living being so that it can take care of it. The plants that cannot speak have also been looked after against the vagaries of weather. When we feel the nip in the air, we wear woollens to keep warm. But can the plants express their needs? No. But the nature has developed mechanism in plants to ward off the ill effects of vagaries of weather. How?
To facilitate this phenomenon, stop watering these plants but care should be taken that the soil does not go too dry. So little watering should be done under such situations. Evergreen plants require less water during this period but when the danger of frost is felt, give water. You must have planted fruit saplings in the monsoon. These plants cannot fend for themselves. They need protection during this period. Cool air or frost adversely affects them and in the event of extremes, they may succumb. Make kullies of sarkanda and cover the growing plants with them. Keep the sunny south-west side open so that plants can get full sun all through the day. Also, make sure that the plants within the enclosure do not touch the roof or the sides of the structure. Indoor plants are more sensitive to weather changes. Ornamental plants like diffenbachia, caladium, dracaena, crotons and some varieties of palms are more sensitive to frost. Even a little ignorance kills some plant parts or even the plant. In such plants we cannot afford even the slightest of damage as the beauty of such plants is associated with the original foliage. They need immediate protection. Shift them under trees or in porch area where they can enjoy the warmth of the morning sun. Water them regularly. (Narula is a Chandigarh-based
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Short take
The trio, Mohneesh Kalyan, Jangveer Singh and Arun Chadha, of Fool's Paradise Productions, is promoting theatre by taking it to an international level.
Says Mohneesh Kalyan, "For this film festival we had put a message across to foreign directors through Facebook and requested them to send their movies for screening. We got in touch with the members of European Film Festival organisation who were interested in the cross-culture promotion through a film festival."
He adds, "It is very important for us to learn new things which can be imbibed through various cultures of the world." There are 35 entries from countries like Norway, Iran, Germany, Canada as well as India of which twenty have been selected for screening. Five movies will be selected from this festival which will be further sent for the European Film Festival to be held in Paris in March. Mohneesh, Jangveer and Arun have been associated with theatre for the past seven years and recently staged Ashad Ka Ek Din written by Mohan Rakesh. (At Punjab Kala Bhawan-16) sabiatalwar@tribunemail.com
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At break-neck speed
On an average, people spend just three minutes and 15 seconds on a weekday breakfast, and most of the time they eat it standing up as they are pressed for time, a new study has found. According to the survey commissioned by Weetabix, only half of us eat breakfast at all, and many prefer to have a lie-in, while others blame the growing pressure to get to work early.
The study also found that only a third of us now eat breakfast in the kitchen. Some resort to eating it in the bedroom, or even the bathroom, with 22 per cent getting dressed at the same time. Around a fifth manage to eat only half their breakfast because they have so little time, while more than a third say they eat their first meal of the day on the bus or train. In Birmingham, 59 per cent of the people said that they were too busy on the Internet or watching TV in the morning to eat breakfast. In London 57 per cent said the same, and 52 per cent of people from Bristol and 51 per cent of Mancunians agreed. One in seven eat at their desk at least one morning a week, and one in five confess to grabbing something as they run out of the door and eating it while they walk down the street.However, three-quarters still said it was the most important meal of the day.—ANI
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Par Excellence
Vary your practice to build confidence. Golf is a target game. Whenever you practice, visualise a flag or a landing zone and work towards it. Monitor your results and note them down. Imagine the width of a green or fairway and count the number of shots you hit within this zone. You will have a realistic picture on the percentage of shots that you could hit on your target. This will help your course management too. On the PGA Tour with the world's best players the average number of fairways hit from the tee are 10 of 14, which is roughly 70 per cent. The greens hit in regulation are around 11 on 18, which is around 60 per cent. Golf is not a game of perfection. If you can achieve these figures in practice and accept them you will begin to feel confident with your ability. If you keep striving for perfection you will never achieve it and will not build self-belief or confidence. There are many types of practice: Block practice: When we are changing our swings or working on one particular move, we hit a lot of balls with the same club at the same target trying to build repeatability. This builds our competence. Varied practice: Working with different clubs and different targets, playing the course on the range ie visualising a particular hole; hitting the tee shot and then hitting the next shot with the club you would expect to have after that particular shot - this will help build your confidence. Shaped shots: Work on hitting fades, hooks, low and high shots at will. Find a favorite club and a 'go to' shot. The 'go to' shot is a shot that players build for themselves, which they use in a difficult situation. Some like to fade, others may prefer to hit a draw. Tiger Woods 'go to' shot was a 'stinger', which is a very low shot. They have confidence in their 'go to' shots and know that they can pull them off in a pressure situation. If you repeatedly fade the ball, do not fight it. Use your repeated fade on the course and treat it as your strength. Aim left and visualise your fade, and play it confidently. (Grewal has coached several national champions and professionals and is
currently Director, National Golf Academy of India and CGA Hero Honda Golf Academy. If you have any queries get in touch with him at parexcellence@tribunemail.com)
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The soup story
A piping hot bowl of soup on a chilly evening is one of the few pleasures that winter alone can offer! A perfect companion in cold weather, a great buddy of the 'grab-and-go' snacks, it's the warmth of a soup that permeates through the throat and lends a true sensory experience to the taste-buds.
"Soups are no longer viewed as a mere add-on to the main food. Rather, it's a complete delight in itself," says Chef Ashish Bali from Hotel Hometel. Ask him the most popular choice for winter and he says, "Considering the love for fitness, people usually don't go for high calorie soups; all they want is a healthy and fresh soup. So, topping the list of all soups is the Manchow soup that is the most-loved in winter. It's a Chinese soup that has the goodness of many vegetables and is served with fried noodles." Ask him what makes this soup so popular and he says, "Its low in fat content, is freshly made and the vegetables have a crunchy flavour to them." Well that surely makes it a good choice! While Sweet Corn soup still remains the hot favourite of many people, Hot and Sour as well as Tomato are other favourites. Most restaurants lay a lot of emphasis on the variety of soup they serve. No wonder we have so many options these days. Dilsher Sukhija from Hotel Ikon in Sector 8 says, "Soups are no doubt one of the most-selling items in winter. And people usually love to include Teapnyaki with it. “The most-liked soups in our restaurant are the vegetable dumpling soup, Singapore Hot and Sour, Udon Noodle soup and Burmese Khao Suey soup et al." He adds, "Burmese Khao Suey soup is our speciality and is a complete meal in itself." Says Chef Xavier Lepcha says, "It's a soup from the Malaysian cuisine and has an Indian touch to it. Made from gram flour, Indian spices and coconut milk, it's a family soup as the portion is quite wholesome and healthy." Though restaurants have their own specialities, how can we miss out the roadside rehriwalas who serve kharorey ka soup? It's a soup that is made from meat stock that is simmered with bones and served piping hot. Though many people don't like its taste, this is a variety that can keep the cold away. Katani in Mohali is another dhaba that is popular for its winter snacks, especially the desi soup. Enriched with vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, paneer etc and Indian spices, this is must have for a typical Indian flavour. Nalini, a diet consultant from Panchkula, says, "With their high water content, the right amount of roughage and energising goodness of vegetables, soups are a great pick for winter. They not only help fight cold but are a complete meal in itself, considering that they can be made of pulses, vegetables and even meats."
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Holiday mood
It’s finally December and the time to look ahead for Christmas holidays. So, what about travel plans? To help you find the best destinations for a perfect holiday, we ask actors about their favourite places. Here’s what they say…
In love with Paris: Pratyusha Banerjee
Hometown calling: Shaheer Sheikh Ice ice baby: Karan V Grover Ancient charm:
Sameer Sharma
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The year ahead
If your birthday is December 6...
Spiritually, a Sagittarius is philosophical and intellectual, seeking the meaning of life. In fact, Sagittarius rules the house of philosophy in zodiac astrology; men and women are also passionate about justice and go out of their way for what they believe is right. Professionally, Sagittarians make excellent teachers, are keen researchers and possess excellent organisational skills. They thrive where there is variety and where they are able to teach others and make the information they process available to others. The last months of 2011 are taking a toll on your health. It’s time to make a formal complaint, even if it does get you in trouble. You’re very sensitive to sights, sounds and scents. An oppressive environment undermines your productivity. Stress this point when you’re asked how this situation has affected your work performance. It is important that you unite with others and feel part of a group; this will bring you luck. Approaching friends and people you trust helps in moments of need and gives great strength. So do not hesitate to put yourself forward in a disinterested way with others. Travelling, studying, and writing will transform the way you see the world. Venturing into unfamiliar territory will uplift and inspire you. Lately, you’ve been tired of treading the same path. Visiting another country or reading a challenging book will prompt you to break a stultifying pattern. Be ready to defend an outsider. You may not realise it, but people really value your opinion. Housewives will be overburdened with no time to relax. They may even have to cancel an earlier programme of having a get-together or going on a short holiday in the company of family and friends. The fleshy and fatty ones were regarded to be of better health. Eat moderately. Compatible signs: Aquarius, Pisces, Leo. Lucky colours: Turquoise, Yellow. Lucky day: Tuesday Lucky numbers: 4, 6, 18, 19, 42 Lucky gems: American Zircon, Solitaire,Diamond.Lucky Lucky flower: Neel Kamal [Blue Lotus].
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Astro turf
ARIES: Today is open for excitement and extraordinary. Conquer all your fears. You may be worried and concerned about certain family issues and need to take out time to sort things out.
Tarot message: Outline your goals ahead of time. Lucky colour: Deep red. TAURUS: ‘The Queen of Pentacles’ blesses you with subtle qualities. Things happen quickly and you need to take sharp decisions. Children will be a source of joy. You could be the center of attention in a party. Tarot message: Don’t accept situations you dislike. Lucky
colour: Yellow. GEMINI: Good news is on the cards. You will be in a relaxed and happy mood. If you need to make any personal decisions, go with your gut feel. Romance will lead to happy moments. Tarot message: Be satisfied
with what you have. Lucky colour: Orange. CANCER: The wisdom of “The Hermit” inspires you to make new beginnings. Spending time with family will bring about a sense of peace. Gains from past investments and opportunities for new sources of income are likely. Tarot message: Beware of depleting your resources on others. Lucky colour: Forest green. Magic number: 46 LEO: “The Magician” conjures up some travel and business opportunities. Business problems and past disappointments need your attention . Stop waiting for the right time to attend to them. You will be hearing from someone unexpected. Tarot message: Trust your intuition. Lucky colour: Sky Blue. Magic number: 54 VIRGO: You are articulate and others are ready to tune in to what you are offering. By evening you can be in an irritable mood and will be prone to losing your temper with friends and family. Tarot message: Take one thing at a time instead of multi-tasking. Lucky
colour: Brown. LIBRA: It looks like a very busy day ahead. An important task that is to maintain a sound relationship seems difficult. Your chances of success are better today than ever before. Take yogic help to relax. Tarot message: Be positive; you can make things happen. Lucky
colour: Pink. SCORPIO: The ‘Prince of Wands’ rides in his flaming chariot of gold to instigate dynamic changes at work. Don’t trust unreliable friends . Travelling will yield valuable information. Don’t depend on others Tarot message: Don’t be enthusiastic in finalising a particular deal. Lucky colour: Purple. Magic number: 52 SAGITTARIUS: Mixing with friends could be a tricky business. If you don’t want to be alone, choose a companion who is least likely to irritate you. Don’t get involved in petty arguments with your mate. Tarot message: Avoid situations that may turn nasty. Lucky
colour: Grey. CAPRICORN: Passionate emotions are likely to accompany your actions and you might be more impulsive than usual. You will have a better chance of getting through odd jobs connected with home and family affairs if you want to promote team work. Tarot message: It is not necessary to take risks. Lucky colour: Rust. Magic number: 45 AQUARIUS: “The Hanged Man” helps you to move into new and better situation. Spirituality beckons, and you are inclined to try and find out more about it. You struggle to keep your temper in check today. Tarot message: Focus on your dream project. Lucky colour: White. PISCES: This is a fine day to plan for future business expansion. Relax with your mate in the evening; it’s just the antidote for the trials and tensions of the day. Someone you are attracted to at work feels the same way. Tarot message: Take one step at a time. Lucky
colour: Crimson. |
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Curiosity killed the cat. However, in this case it has made someone popular or let's say — popular, overnight! Sunny Leone — the name sends a puckish grin across many faces, eye balls break into a samba dance — the latest entry in the reality show Bigg Boss has raised more dust than the 2G scam or the anti-corruption movement!
There is no denying the fact that Indian food is about ghee-laden dishes and butter-rolled-up naans and spicy curries served hot. But when it comes to the word called 'balanced diet', we curl up our lips, shrug our shoulders and come out with an excuse - 'sab chalta hai yaar.' A zillion excuses to live on this extra fat, extra protein, extra carbohydrate diet!
Shares Aditi, "Our present lifestyle is making us prone to lifestyle diseases, which can't be cured by medicines alone but require a diet that adds to the effect of the medicines and makes a person healthy. Diet Mantra will open up four clinics in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali in the first phase.
Directed by Mahesh Tilekar, Helen readily accepted the film offer since she knew him for a long time.
Singer Nicki Minaj says she is excited at the fact that toy company Mattel has crafted a Barbie Doll inspired by her looks.
The 28-year-old declared that it was a "major moment" for both her career and for her fans whom she refers to as 'Barbies'.
Scarlett Johansson has put herself up for auction for a charity, where one lucky winner will get to meet the actress at the red carpet premiere of her new film, We Bought A Zoo in New York. The auction, which takes place on CharityBuzz.com, has an estimated value of 5,000 dollars.
Rachel Zoe is a fan of online shopping and loves the way internet fashion phenomenon
fits perfectly into her busy schedule.
Actress Demi Lovato has revealed that her tattoos remind her how far she has come in life.
The former Disney star was admitted to rehab in November 2010 to receive three months treatment for an eating disorder and self-harming. It was the time she got the inkings on her wrists to make sure she doesn't forget what she has overcome.
Singer Kimberley Walsh insists she is comfortable being 30 and didn't freak out when she reached the age.
There are two types of plants, the evergreen and the deciduous. The deciduous plants are those which cannot face the intense cold and suspend their activities, shed leaves and 'sleep', that is go dormant. This is their natural way of escaping the winter damage. 
After organising a two-day short film festival at Punjab Kala Bhawan in October which received an amazing response, the group is all set to organise an international film festival in collaboration with the European Independent Film Festival on December 8 and 9. 
When most of us go to the range to practice, we are trying to build our 'competence' in golf. We work on our swing, short game and putting so that we are competent to play well. The ones who manage to build 'confidence' do manage to play well on the course. So, while we do have to build 'competence' it is useless unless we build 'confidence' too. Confidence or your attitude to the game is built by you alone and not by coaches or parents. You have to take pride in your confidence and make it the strongest part of your game.
Soused with delicious sauces, crispy noodles and nutritious vegetables, it's none other than the hot soup that so comfortably takes the edge in the cold winter! Though soups find a prominent place in the menu of most restaurants, it's during winter that its popularity graph reaches an all-time high.
Fun city: Rashmi Desai
Minus point: Mansi Parekh
Shekhar Kapur (December 6, 1945, Lahore) nephew of Dev Anand rose to popularity with the movie, Bandit Queen. He was nominated for Academy awards for Elizabeth. He started his career as an actor in ‘Jaan Hazir hai’ and later in ‘Toote Khilone’. He also appeared in several Hindi TV serials, like Udaan opposite Kavita Chaudhary, and films, but his career never took off as an actor. He turned director with Masoom (1983). He then directed the 1987 Mr India. Kapur played a cameo in Bandit Queen, as a truck driver. In Shekhar’s horoscope the combination of two opposite planets Sun and Saturn will make him successful only in writing and direction but not in acting. As an actor his films have already flopped and as director he has always been successful.