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Merry go round
Silent night, holy night
This Christmas swing to the tunes of Spanish, Jamaican and English kind of music at the Peddlers. Nipun Cheema and his band offers to transport you to a world of amazing music as they create magic with their instruments — keyboard, drums, violin, Daruka and Jammey. Says Vipul Dua, "On December 25, we are celebrating gypsy night, wherein we would have music, Christmas carols and great food to go with it." Peddlers, Sector-35
On a fun ride
Christmas means a special treat and the place Hops N Grains plans to offer that in abundance. In the offing are 10 days of Ohh La La comprising musical theme nights, special food menu and especially brewed festival beer. Christmas will be celebrated with an exquisitely designed X-mas tree and the special plum cake, homemade cinnamon ice-cream as well as chocolate Lasagne. Says Priyanka Gupta, "Music sets the mood of celebration. We have musical theme nights on December 23 (retro music night) and December 24 (Saturday night fever; romantic classics)." Other than this, for the 10 days the place also offers special food menu comprising multi-cuisine delicacies like Broccoli Bites (mix cheese, broccoli), Thai chicken tikka, chicken fajita, cottage cheese fajita, San Jose Lamb et al. Hops n Grains, Sector 9, Panchkula
Rock the floor
What is Christmas without a little jig on the dance floor? At Kava, rock the dance floor with Dj Rummy from Delhi, who is known for electronic and commercial music. Christmas tree, jingle bells, Santa Claus…all the elements of the D-Day are in place. Says Garry, "We have a special menu on Sunday with traditional X-mas cuisines. We will also give away goodie bags to the kids." Kava, Sector 26, Chandigarh
A glittering affair
Christmas is a glittering affair at JW Marriott where a 14-feet Christmas tree welcomes you. Chandigarh Baking Company brings plenty of Christmas goodies, Gingerbread house, Plum puddings, Christmas pudding, Marzipan stolen, Christmas fruit cake, Christmas chocolate tree, Hule log, Christmas printed chocolates, Ginger bread with prune, Mince pie, Claus cookies, and plum cakes with limited orders of Whole Roast Turkey. Kids can let their creativity loose with our Pastry Chef, Santosh Rawat, and decorate their Gingerbreads. The Christmas products from the famous Italian brand Flamingini will also be available at the hotel. The guests can choose and make their own hampers for their family and loved ones. JW Marriott, Sector 35, Chandigarh
House on fire
Christmas gets a new 'hot' meaning at Smoke House Deli, with an all-new menu! Market vegetable fried crepe gratin, grilled vegetable caponata, capellini, Arugula pesto, chermoula spiced grilled chicken side salad plus tobasco, three pepper crust filet mignon and mushroom ficasse. For dessert, treat yourself to a banana bread pudding and four nut brownie. Smoke House Deli, Sector 7, Chandigarh
Fun Westside
Two days of festivity at Hotel Western Court marks the spirit of Christmas. A special buffet menu has been created for Christmas eve. "On December 25, we are organising a special Sunday Christmas brunch and Christmas Dinner buffet," shares Rajeev Kakar, group general manager. In addition to this, the hotel will serve Christmas cake to the guests and special gift hampers for kids. Western Court, Sector-43, Chandigarh jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Verbal sins
A new survey has revealed a list of 10 things that men should abstain from saying to their wives on Christmas if they don't want to hurt their feelings or provoke a bad reaction. The comment that tops the list is "It's just a roast, I don't know why you're making such a fuss", which although is a reassuring comment, isn't taken in that sense as the Christmas lunch involves three sauces, four vegetables and a creature that needs to be cooked from dawn.
This is followed by "I wish you could make mince pies the way my mother does", and "I can't believe you're crying at that John Lewis ad again!", as there are plenty of things getting in a woman's eyes at this time of year that men don't understand. Next comes "you should chill, take a chill pill, chillax", as there is nothing more counter-productive than telling someone to relax, and "we could have walked to the party if you'd worn trainers", as the trainers would have totally ruined the look of the party dress. Nothing hurts a woman more than referring to her weight and "another quality street? Really?" comment suggests that the wife needs to watch what she eats, while "is it your hormones?" follows closely. — ANI
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Better than expected
Actor Kunal Kapoor, who plays a key role in Farhan Akhtar's much-awaited film Don 2: The King is Back, says the film has got a promising reception.
"The response has been superb. We expected a good response, but I think it's been far beyond anyone's expectations," the 34-year-old actor said here at a special screening of the film. Don 2: The King Is Back released in 41 countries Friday, and hit screens in Britain Thursday. "Everyone liked it. I think you know once the movie works, people like things about the movie, then they like everything about the movie," said Kunal, who has shared screen space with superstar Shah Rukh Khan for the first time in the movie.
— IANS
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The hill spirit
If you remember the beautiful locales of movie Kareeb, well, Sanjeev Rattan is the man you can thank. Scouting locations in the beautiful hill state and sharing the beauty of quaint Rewalsar and Prashar Lake to making a full fledged Himachali movie, Sanjeev has gone places.
A Himachali, Sanjeev is a product of Indian Theatre Department of Punjab University, Chandigarh. Some two years and 20 plays in the city, Sanjeev moved on to Mumbai for celluloid always attracted him. He assisted Vidhu Vinod Chopra in Kareeb and Mission Kashmir, acted in both on the director's insistence and moved on to making films on his own. "I was clear from the very beginning. It is direction that's my forte, not acting," says Sanjeev, in Chandigarh on Wednesday. His short films Mumbai and Panchakki have got a rousing response. "It was heartening to have my mentor Vidhu ji label my works as world-class cinema," says Sanjeev. True to his roots, this passionate filmmaker tried to address his twin concerns — making world class cinema available to Himachalis and also making a movie that brings picturesque Himachal as well as its charming culture before the world. His first-ever Himachali feature film Dile Ch Basya Koi shot in lesser known areas of rather 'known' Dharamshala — Gopalpur and Khaniara (Sanjeev is born and brought up in this small, beautiful village) — is a realistic presentation of life in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh. "The film has gone down well with hill residents and is in fact going to many international film festivals as well," says Sanjeev, who intends to highlight more of his state in his upcoming projects. Low on resources but high on creativity, Sanjeev is sure of his team and is working at a feverish pitch for his next Hindi feature film. "Recognition for Himachal as well as good quality work is what I am striving for," says this film-maker. mona@tribunemail.com
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Celeb solutions
At first, we don't know what's more clichéd — the concept of reality shows, the celebrity angle attached to it or the claim that 'It's a show with a difference'! But later when we hear that they start off with an intention to mend broken relationships, one thing leads to the other and it all slowly starts sounding believable. Superstar Santa, to be aired on UTV Stars, is all set to be launched on New Year's Eve.
Shares Dilkhush Reporter, the anchor, "In this show, we tackle problems pertaining to relationships among common people and a celebrity resolves them." The first episode sees Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor play a peace-maker between a set of ex-best friends who've drifted apart. Chitraganda Singh, R. Madhavan and Asin figure in the list of names confirmed till now. Says Dilkhush, "We've shot two episodes so far and coincidentally, both of them deal with friendships gone sour. As we progress with other episodes, there will be a lot of other kinds of relationships that will be dealt with." Spouses not in talking terms; siblings that have grown apart, parents and children that don't connect with each other any more and so on. She adds, "In friendship usually people take each other for granted, therefore I feel it is one of the most stressed relationship in today's time." What's with a celebrity resolving problems? Adds Dilkhush, "A celebrity is also a human being at the end of the day, and their way of looking at problems is different. They too have dealt with strained relationships, so they bring in this experienced outsider's perspective. Moreover, when people look up to them, they are likely to follow the advice." After all who wouldn't like their onscreen idol telling them what went wrong where? Is it ego playing the spoilsport or is it plain misunderstanding? The 'difference' factor is perhaps a little clear now. "I don't want to sound cliched, but Indian television has not seen such a show before." On a personal note, Dilkhush is enjoying every bit of varied work coming her way. After being a part of serials like Kasamh Se and Khottey Sikkey, it's a transition from fiction to drama. "This transition from fiction to drama wasn't planned. I play an anchor on the show and it's like I'm actually anchoring the show. There is a star and there are common people, I play a person who helps one get acquainted with the other." So far so good! manpriya@tribunemail.com
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Brewing happiness
If you are one of those who always wished to have a strong memory power or worried due to increasing waistline, the solution lies in eating less and taking a cup of coffee in everyday life.
Researchers have found eating less could help you remember more and skipping dessert and having an after-dinner coffee instead could also be good for your brain as well as the waistline. The news comes from an Italian study into 'calorific restriction' — the idea that near-starvation rations boost health and extend life. Scientists have long known of the phenomenon, but struggled to work out just what it is about severely cutting calories that improves health. For the study, it was decided to focus on a protein called CREB1 that is known to be important to memory and learning. While conducting experiments on mice, researcher Giovambattista Pani showed that cutting calories boosted learning if the animals could still make CREB1. Besides, he also showed that cutting calories boosts the amount of the protein made in the brain. It was also found the animals' calorie count was only cut by 25 to 30 per cent but in human terms, this equates to about 600 calories a day.
— IANS
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Sister act
The Khan sisters (Gauhar and Nigaar Khan) made a party trip to Chandigarh for the Arctic and Maxim styling event at Kava, Sector-26 on Friday. Gauhar and Nigaar have been in the limelight with their latest reality show Khan Sisters, which is being showcased on UTV Bindaas. We catch up with them to know more about their real life, which is now a reality show.
So what does Gauhar, the younger one, have to say about their show? "I'm enjoying it and happy that the audience can see what my family is like as well as my bonding with Nigaar. I love the response when people walk up to me and talk about what they saw in the previous episodes." Together they are four sisters and one brother, and it is very evident on the show that Gauhar is closest to her Bhai Jaan. Says Gauhar, "I've been really close to my brother since childhood and he loves me unconditionally. He gives me all the attention; what Nigaar doesn't get at times but we three share a lot of funny moments as well." And what about the bikini shoot that landed Gauhar in a family problem? "It was leaked in the papers by chance and I guess in our industry thing like this keep happening. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the shoot and was even comfortable with it." The sisters are seen having different ideals and outlooks; making two different worlds eventually meet under one roof. Their equations with each other, their families, friends and foes along with real life conflict, secrets, emotions and drama is good to see…but how much of it is real? "It is very much real and not scripted at all. It very well portrays the balance we sisters strike between our work life and family matters," says Gauhar. She adds, "What all happens is not for the camera; it is what we experience." Gauhar, who appeared in Rocket Singh, has another Yash Raj Film lined up and besides, she is part of Bollywood musical show Zangoora, opposite Ali Hussain. "I have completed more than five hundred shows with Zangoora and I'm very excited about the upcoming movie." So as for Nigaar, the show has been quite a journey. And we recently saw the sisters visiting their family in Dubai and Zak's busy to find a match for Nigaar. "It is very much real as Zak's wants me to get married and get settled. And when I met the guys it was quite a natural reaction, which would have been there without the." The Khan sisters were also in the news shooting for the PETA campaign against the caging of animals in zoos. Says Nigaar, "If you have seen the campaign, we are locked up in a cage in the costumes of a tigress. We both are animal lovers and it is our tribute to the animals. I hope our act has made some difference." And what does the elder one have to say about the show? "There are so many emotions coming out; all the fun and the fights are
real. It's not at all planned or fake," says Nigaar. She adds, "The response to the reality show is much more than I expected and through this my fans can relate to me better."
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A new recipe
New Year always brings along fresh ideas and novel concepts. Keeping up the trend, Nikhil Mittal, the founder of Nik Bakers, has launched the Nik Baking and Cooking Institute in Sector-5, Panchkula, with an aim to hone the skills of future chefs.
Says Nikhil, "I wanted to open up this institute, much before the bakery, but I thought that first I should showcase my expertise in front of people. Now I think after two years of experience, it is the right time to start such a venture. This will be the first International Culinary Institute, which would strive to produce expert chefs out of deserving people." He adds, "For the time being, we are starting with short-term courses for housewives and working men as well as women; we will start the full-term courses by February." The full-term course will be for one-and-a-half-year and we will give a certified diploma in cooking as well as baking, respectively, so that the people taking up the course can open up their own restaurants or bakeries. Nikhil promises that the infrastructure and machinery provided for the training would be state-of-the-art. Herman Schullar, German chef; Ankit Mathur and Hemchander, who are highly qualified and experienced in serving specialties at five-star hotels and in cruise liners would be part of the team. Sharon Mittal, Nik's wife, will be the principal and help him out. Says Nikhil, "I'm glad that my whole family is helping me out; my brother Nitin is helping me in setting the modules and the lay-out." He adds, "Our focus is on maintaining a balance between our bakery outlets as well as the institute. I will be teaching the students along with the other chefs." The minimum qualification for enrolling into the course will be 18 years and class 12th qualification certificate. "There will be proper interviews and a written test to check the basic knowledge of the candidate in cooking and baking. We will ensure that those who enroll are serious about their work." sabiatalwar@tribunemail.com
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Look who is talking!
A new study has revealed that toddlers do not listen to their own voice when they speak, like adults do. When grown-ups and kids speak, they listen to the sound of their voice and make corrections based on that auditory feedback, but the study said babies do not respond to their own voice.
The findings suggest that very young children have some other strategy to control their speech production. "When play music, violinists will listen to the notes they produce to ensure they are in tune," Ewen MacDonald of the Technical University of Denmark said. — ANI
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Directors’ Cut
Aamir Khan’s wife wrote, directed, and co-produced Dhobi Ghat which was an art film. It is not everyone’s cup of tea. It moved at a leisurely pace and had an open ending. We wonder what Kiran will make next. Bejoy Nambiar, Shaitan This was a supremely powerful and entertaining film. The performances were excellent and we are looking forward to his next film. Amole Gupte, Stanley Ka Dabba This was a very touching and sweet film and Amole proved that he is a good director, actor; quite multi-talented actually. The performances were straight-from-the-heart and this is a must watch! His sensibilities are commercial and dated. The first half was tolerable but the second half was awful and the film was very noisy and silly! Not everybody can pull it off! Abhinay Deo, Game and Delhi Belly Delhi Belly was probably ready before Game but released after it. DB was super fun and quite different while Game was boring and lacklustre. Aanand L Rai, Tanu Weds Manu The film was seriously over-rated as was Kangna’s performance in it. The first half was tolerable and there were some nice moments but the
second half was super boring. And, to top it, there will be a sequel! David Dhawan’s son
ventured into his style of comedy. Many have called the movie the “best of the worst.” What is the point, really? |
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Naturally talented Prateik
Composer AR Rahman has quashed rumours that he put in a word for actor Prateik Babbar in upcoming film Ek Deewana Tha.
In Ek Deewana Tha, Prateik has been cast opposite British model Amy Jackson. The film, directed by Gautham Menon, is a Hindi remake of his own Tamil film Vinnaithaandi
Varuvaayaa. |
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Charlize to be honoured
Charlize Theron will be honoured with the Variety Indie Impact Awards for her independent movie work at an upcoming Palm Springs Film Festival in California. The 36-year-old actress will receive the award at a star-studded gala event in January next year in recognition of her long-time support of independent film.
Theron, who has appeared in low-budget flicks like North Country, In the Valley of Elah and The Burning Plain, follows in the footsteps of previous honourees Philip Seymour Hoffman and Mark Wahlberg. The Oscar-winning actress will be presented with the award on 8th January 2012. —
ANI
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In mum’s memory
Prince William and his wife Catherine visited one of Princess Diana’s favourite charities in
London and cooked up a Christmas treat for young homeless people. It was Kate’s first trip to a project run by Centrepoint, which supports 500 young people at centres in London and Sunderland.
The 29-year-old Duchess helped his hubby prepare low-calorie mince pies
and gingerbread men for some of the 80 young homeless people at the charity’s Camberwell Foyer in south London. The 29-year-old Prince invented a dance with a homeless girl and talked about the Royal Wedding. Centrepoint chief executive Seyi Obakin, who slept rough on the streets of London with the Prince in 2009 to highlight the plight of the homeless, described the visit as a huge boost to those at
the centre. “For somebody of his ilk to want to come and meet them is a powerful motivator,” he said. The charity was the first to receive William’s royal patronage in 2005. During childhood he and Prince Harry made visits to its homeless shelters with their mother, Princess Diana.
— ANI
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Farah’s news-making party
Farah Khan, husband Shirish Kunder, and her triplets have moved into a posh new apartment at Oberoi Sky Heights in Lokhandwala, suburban Mumbai.
She had her house-warming party early this week evening and here is what happened ... The party was attended by the likes of Katrina Kaif, Jackie Fernandez and Sajid Khan, Riteish and Genelia, Malaika Arora Khan, Salman Khan, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Karan Johar,
Chitrangda Singh, Sonakshi Sinha, Shahid Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Suniel Shetty, Maanayata Dutt, Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Asin, and a few others. A source says, “Farah was in high spirits and managed the party on her own, mostly, as Shirish was at Sonu Niggaam’s party. The party went on till the wee hours of the morning. The first thing everyone noticed was that neither Shah Rukh Khan nor Gauri Khan came. This makes it obvious that things are yet not okay between them. Then Farah was in the festive spirit and wanted to set things right between Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Salman. So she introduced them but they couldn’t be less interested in talking to each other and found their own corners. Salman and SLB were friends till Salman made fun of Guzaarish, which flopped.” The source continues, “Everybody left late and Farah retired to bed. Then, in the middle of the night, Ronnie Screwvala showed up and she woke up to entertain him because
she is a good and gracious hostess. All in all, it was an eventful night for Farah and her guests.” Farah and her family were residents of Seven Bungalows in suburban Mumbai earlier and have now relocated to a posh penthouse in Lokhandwala.
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Kate’s designs
“Lila has always loved trying on Kate’s clothes and make-up, and is already really into fashion. It was mainly all her idea and Kate obviously agreed to help out as much as possible, using her contacts to land the duo a deal.”Lila is adamant the range will be very traditional and English rose-esque in feel. Lila doesn’t want to produce chavvy clothes,” a source said. Moss, who wed husband Jamie Hince in July, recently said that Grace is quite prudish and will often tell her when she doesn’t take off her make-up. “I always take my make-up off, because otherwise my daughter will come in and say, ‘Mummy, tut-tut’. She doesn’t like it. She likes the fresh-faced, natural mummy, when I’ve got my hair in a bun and no make-up on. — PTI |
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Sonam is friendly
In an industry where people play the numbers game, actress Sonam Kapoor believes in being friendly.
“Almost all of my directors are my friends. Be it Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra or Punit Malhotra, they all are dear friends. Even all my male co-stars are my friends,” Sonam said at a recent event. As for her female friends in B-Town, she said: “I am most close to Jacqueline (Fernandes) and Asin (Thottumkal). In fact, these two are doing a movie (Housefull 2) together and I am so jealous of them!” The actress, who is looking forward to her film Players, is set to don the garb of Santa, and play peacemaker between two friends on UTV Stars’ new show Superstar Santa. “My episode has two girls whose friendship is broken due to misunderstanding. My job is to bring them together and try to understand what went wrong,” said Sonam. — IANS
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Christmas plants
satish narula
This is the week with yuletide spirit. The churches are being decorated and so are the homes. Not many people know that there are plants associated with Christianity. Let us decorate our homes with such plants this winter. The most sought after plant in this season is Araucaria cooki, the 'Christmas tree' that is used to decorate with dolls, cotton for snow, small toy bells, stars, lights and many such material available in market. The horizontal to the ground twigs support such material well. The plant leaves are needle like and give a pine forest look when decorated with 'snow'. The tree, however, is costly and is sold on per-foot height basis. Red is the most sought after colour in flowering plants this season. The red 'flowering' poinsettia is named as the International symbol of Christmas. This is due to the appearance of deep red bunch of 'blooms' at the top of plants at the time of Christmas. The flowers that this plant bears as such are insignificant and the colour comes at the terminals due to the presence of coloured leaves called bracts. This plant is available in two forms, one, the bracts are single as a whorl at the top of the stem and secondly these are in the form of a bunch at the top and the variety available in the market is 'Fireball'. Also available from the local nurseries is the hybrid kind that hardly grows to one foot or so in the pot with all red top. A mass display of such pots puts the place on fire. This belongs to Euphorbia family, the plants that give latex when injured. There is this misconception that it's a poisonous plant. Well, shed the fear as it may be skin irritating to only those who are allergic to latex or to those who are in the habit of putting anything in their eye, yes, to them it may be injurious. Another member of euphorbia group has also great significance so far as Christianity is concerned. It is Euphorbia splendense (see the accompanying picture). It is in fact the improved version of the old type that had thin trailing stem running parallel to the ground and bearing two to four deep red flowers at the tip. This plant is supposed to be the 'Crown of Thorns' worn by Jesus and the red 'drop' like flowers are the drop of blood. The plant is revered and has compassionate significance. Now, however, the breeding has made it possible to have different hues of bold flowers and they are available in white, orange, yellow, pink etc. Such colours are, however, for decoration only. Those living in hills have the opportunity to decorate their homes with red geranium vines that can be used as basket plants. Don't be surprised, yes the geraniums are available as trailing plants too. (Narula is a Chandigarh-based horticulturist)
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King of hearts
Don 2
In 2006 with the ever-looming dangers of the underworld in Malaysia, Don broke the morale of his associates by infiltrating the gang with an alias and taking advantage of the enmity of Singhania and Vardhaan. He rose to become the undisputed king of the underworld with his shrewd mind and merciless tactics. The police in their pursuit of Don unknowingly hired the very man they were trying to hunt. Don used this to his advantage and let the police and his former associates battle each other while he escaped much to the bewilderment of everyone, leaving no traces of evidence of his whereabouts. Having conquered the Asian underworld, Don (Khan) now has his sights set on European domination. In his way are the bosses of the existing European underworld and all law enforcement agencies. The action shifts from Kuala Lumpur to Berlin as Don must avoid assassination or arrest, whichever comes first, in order for his plan to succeed. Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Boman Irani and Kunal
Kapoor. King Khan rocks
It is a classic action thriller and is so interesting that it doesn't let go of your attention even for a single moment. Shah Rukh Khan as Don looks amazing even though his character is so wicked. Bharti Singh, housewife Awesome chemistry
The dialogues are brilliant but the music is rather average. The movie lacks a bit of emotional quotient but nevertheless the chemistry between Don and Roma is wonderful. Himani Jha, student, Dev Samaj College Smart moves
The action sequences are mind-blowing, the script is quite a clever one and the performances by the cast are brilliant. You can relate to the movie with its first part very well. Nandini Thakur, student, GGDSD College (As told to Sabia Talwar)
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Music to the ear
Listening to music can help reduce pain in high-anxiety people, who can easily become absorbed in cognitive activities, a new study has suggested. Researchers from the University of Utah Pain Research Center evaluated the potential benefits of music for diverting psychological responses to experimental pain stimuli.
They hypothesized that music may divert cognitive focus from pain. If true, the key to successful pain control from this method would be the degree of engagement by the patient in the diversion task. One hundred forty-three subjects were evaluated for the study. They were instructed to listen to music tracks, follow the melodies, and identify deviant tones. During the music tasks, they were given safe, experimental pain shocks with fingertip electrodes. The findings showed that central arousal from the pain stimuli reliably decreased with the increasing music-task demand. Music helps reduce pain by activating sensory pathways that compete with pain pathways, stimulating emotional responses, and engaging cognitive attention. Music, therefore, provided meaningful intellectual and emotional engagement to help reduce pain. Among the study subjects, those with high levels of anxiety about pain had the greatest net engagement, which contradicted the authors' initial hypothesis that anxiety would interfere with a subject's ability to become absorbed in the music listening task. They noted that low anxiety actually might have diminished the ability to engage in the task. The study has been published in The Journal of Pain.
— ANI
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Is PC a tantrum queen?
Priyanka Chopra is reportedly throwing tantrums on the sets of Anurag Basu's Barfee.
The film is only 25 per cent complete and Anurag is getting worried. A source says, "To begin with, Priyanka went away to the US while the filming was on. Now she is back and shooting in Ooty and wants many changes. She is interfering with her look: clothes and make-up and demands last-minute changes. We all know that she is a wonderful actress and very accommodating and a professional but we don't know why she is acting like this nowadays. She wants everything to be her way. She changes her dialogues at will, too. Things are becoming difficult for the crew but no one can say anything because she is such a big star." The source continues, "She wants her shots taken only from a particular angle. She insists on retakes even though her shot has been okayed by the director. There is nothing anybody can say against her. She has become obsessed with perfection and takes things too far." Barfee is directed by Anurag Basu and stars Ranbir Kapoor, Ileana D'cruz, and Priyanka Chopra. Both Priyanka and Ranbir play characters with mental and physical challenges. The story goes that Ranbir's character is with Ileana's but he has an affair with PC's character. The release date of the film is obviously not decided. The film has been shot in Mumbai, Kolkata, and Ooty. It is the first time Anurag Basu is acting with all three of them.
—
HRM
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Damsel in distress
While shooting for Viacom 18 & Abbas - Mustan's Players in Russia, actress Bipasha Basu met with an unpleasant situation, as a man tailed her on the local streets, until her co-stars Sikander Kher and Omi Vaidya arrived at the scene.
On her day off, Bipasha decided to screen the market at St Petersburg, Russia,only to realise that she was being followed. At first the actress didn't pay attention. But when he refused to leave, a couple of shops later, she decided to push the panic button and called co-stars Sikander Kher and Omi Vaidya. Says a source, "Bipasha decided to shop at the local market. That's when she realised she was being stalked. She immediately got into a coffee shop and dialled the ran off." After the incident, security was upped for the unit, especially for Bipasha Basu who had a bouncer by her side 24 by 7. Confirms Bipasha, "I decided to drop into one of the local stores and to my horror I realized, I was being followed by this gentleman who refused to leave me alone. It was a scary experience. I immediately called Omi and Sikander who rushed to the spot within minutes."
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Akshay with aliens
Akshay Kumar says shooting for Joker has been an amazing experience because it was shot in 3-D and is about aliens and earthlings. It is not about a superhero.
What an item
Katrina Kaif and Aamir Khan will do an item song in Dhoom 3. They both are thrilled about it.
The promo of Sharman Joshi starrer Ferrari Ki Sawari will release with Don 2 because producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra wanted to mark the two-year-release anniversary of
3 Idiots.
Long wait….
Agent Vinod’s release date is still not decided. It has been getting postponed
for ages due to various reasons. The film’s shooting is not yet complete and it will easily be six months before the film releases. Whew!
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Chatter box
The B factor
Retro fun
The cast of Star Plus’ Navya are currently enjoying dressing up in a retro avatar. Soumya Seth aka Navya who has a hair band and cool polka dotted salwar kameez claims her look is inspired from veteran actress Mumtaz. She felt her clothes were too tight while her co-star Shaheer Sheikh aka Anant felt his bell bottoms were so wide that he felt he had worn a ghaghra. His shirt too felt super silky and cheesy too. Nevertheless, sounds like they are relishing this new look.
The end
After moving their prime time show Laagi Tujhse Lagan to the afternoon slot when the TRPs dropped, now Colors’ channel is ending the show. Once a hit show starring Mishal Raheja as Datta Bhau and Mahi Vijj as Nakusha, the show’s popularity dwindled when Mishal left the show.
Actor Madhuri Dixit has been quite active since her return to India. She is not only promoting the newly launched Hindi channel Life Ok after her earlier stint of promoting Food Food and being part of their cookery show. Buzz is that she has been in talks with Sony Entertainment for Jhalak Dikkhlaa Jaa season 5 and she is interested to play judge once more on the show.
Mona-Anukalp drifting apart?
In Zee TV’s Ram Milayi Jodi, Mona and Anukalp seem to be drifting apart as Mona doesn’t have time for him or to manage her home. Moreover, Anukalp now is a bit jealous of Mona’s budding friendship with her boss Aditya. In the upcoming episodes this week, trouble will brew in Mona and Anukalp’s relationship while Aditya will try to get some answers from Maasi.
Hitting a sixer
Television’s golden couple, Hussain and Tina Kuwajerwala celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary. The busy star Hussain came to Mumbai just for a day from Gurgaon to be with his wife Tina on this special day. The actor could not believe that their relationship has completed 15 years – nine years of courtship and six years of marriage and felt lucky to have Tina in his life. An excited Hussain said, “We had no big plans as such but we wanted to celebrate this special day with our close friends and family members. Both of us can’t believe that we completed 15 years together and that our relationship is going strong –touchwood! I didn’t think that I would meet Tina 15 years ago and will fall in love with her. I really want to thank God for that.” Further he adds, “I am happy that people see our love and a lot of chemistry (compatibility) between us. I believe for any successful relationship —understanding and trust are most important. Tina has done loads for me.” What gift did he get for his wife? “I don’t believe in giving gifts. One day if I like something, I just buy it for her.” The actor is presently busy performing to his Bollywood musical, Zangoora: The Gypsy Prince at Kingdom of Dreams in Gurgaon.
Sukriti relishing her break!
Chirpy and beautiful Sukirti Khandpal, who basked in fame in her hit show Pyaar Ki Yeh Ek Kahani, rejected an offer from the same producer Balaji. She was offered to play Archana’s adopted daughter Purvi’s role in Zee’s Pavitra Rishta but she rejected it as she didn’t want to go back to work so soon. The actress is now enjoying her holiday break with her loved ones. Sukirti Khandpal reveals, “Yes, I got the offer to play the daughter of Archana in the show but frankly speaking I really didn’t want to jump to another show right after my last show ended. I was very tired with night shifts and doing double roles in the same show.”
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Astro turf
ARIES: The card Eight of Swords bestows Saturine influence, so problems are bound to arise at home. Work towards a promotion or pay hike rather than personal speculation. TAURUS: Early hours could see you encountering some difficulties. Budget goes topsy-turvy. Resources must be protected. Start a class in yoga and nurture your well-being in a gentle and mindful way. GEMINI: Home and family affairs will be enjoyable. You will not be able to get the team spirit going. Personal plans will be opposed by friends. An attraction to the unknown can take you away from your comfort zone. CANCER: You are on the crest of a lucky wave. The married ones will be able to see more of each other. Do not sign new agreements. A hectic day for businessmen. LEO: Use your judgment while dealing with important issues. Enjoy the evening with your friends. There is an artistic note to the atmosphere, which will give you some exciting food for thought. VIRGO: Family politics or the power struggles in shared living quarters can intensify. Talking about the issues with friends may be a distraction, but it won’t make any difference to your situation. LIBRA: You card Ten of Wands shows deception. You will feel irritated at work. A new deal may bring monetary gains. Women, control your diet. Good friends will be a source of entertainment and support. SCORPIO: Stock brokers, think before investing. Youngsters may feel a bit lethargic. You can safely delegate responsibility to others. A chance encounter with a stranger will prove exciting. SAGITTARIUS: Business can be carried out successfully. There will be minor hiccups as the day progress. Diplomacy and tact are the key words for the day. Your card “The Lovers” is shining its loving light on you. CAPRICORN: Students, do not neglect your work. Drive carefully. Humanity pays. Parent’s health needs attention. Enjoy a peaceful day at home. You have an exciting evening to look forward to. AQUARIUS: Get into work early because as the day unfolds, everything can become disjointed. An influential person may acknowledge your work. PISCES: No matter what problems might arise, you will achieve success. The job seekers could have a couple of interviews lined-up. A business deal is likely to materialise and give you a more secure income. |
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The year ahead
If your birthday is December 24...
Do you owe someone a letter or agreement or promise? They’re waiting for it. December is a good time to write that note. You might like to beautify your surroundings, but haven’t decided what you can do in 2012. I suggest a trip to your local library; you may want to check out books on gardening or painting. If you are feeling somewhat critical in general, try not to turn these energies your towards loved ones or those you care about the most. You’re happiest when there’s a hand-on project at home to fully absorb your energy. Pay extra attention to any pets or other small animals in your neighborhood. This is an excellent time for putting your family and personal finances in order. It is likely that you will be making some adjustments to your personal or family budget. If you are looking for ways to increase your earnings, you will have the energy and motivation. Luxury items you decide to purchase for your home could include art, music and other forms of entertainment. You may also be looking for a good bargain on exercise equipment or CDs. You need peace to get anything done from March onwards, so make sure you can shut the door or find some other way to ensure that you are free from distractions and constant requests. You’ll be prone to ear infections and bone disorders. If you can, treat yourself to a little trip and relax as much as you can; you need it! Ladies who are pregnant should take special care of their health. Mood: Gullible at times. Compatible Signs: Gemini, Cancer. Lucky colours: Khaki, Olive Green. Lucky days: Wednesday and Thursday. Lucky numbers: 9, 12, 31, 45, 60 Lucky gem: Lapis Lazuli. Lucky flower: Rhododendron.
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Fun and partying has its own definition. While some would like to rock the floor till the wee hours of the morning, others would love to sway to soft notes of the guitar. Still others would prefer to dig into new dishes sparkling on the menu. Enjoyment definitely has its own definition! This Christmas, Chandigarh readies to celebrate the
D-day in its own style. Music, dance and lots of good food, let this silent night be the most memorable one for you! We get you the dope on the Christmas scene in Chandigarh.
Kiran Rao, Dhobi Ghat
Abbas Ali Zafar, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan
Rohit Dhawan, Desi Boyz
“There is no truth to the fact that I recommended Prateik for the movie. I think he is naturally talented as I previously worked with him in Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na. He is very charming and I think he has a great future,” said Rahman.
Supermodel Kate Moss is teaming up with her nine-year-old daughter Lila Grace and British high street store Debenhams to create a girls’ clothing range. The 37-year-old and her daughter are working on a range of “funky tweenage” designs, due for release in summer 2012.
Trailer in air
Ankita Lokhande celebrated her birthday on December 19 with great pomp and show as her boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajput surprised her with a gift of solitaire diamond earrings and a grand pool party. Her brother took her to the party post her shoot and she was blown away with the arrangements and celebration. Her industry friends —Jay Bhanushali, Mahhi Vij, Mahesh Shetty, Swati Anand, Anisha Kapur, Natasha Sharma and Aditya Redij came to party with her.
Ekta Kapoor earlier overdosed on the letter K with all her shows starting with it and now that she has found her mojo back with TV shows, she is following the same trend. Post her hit show Bade Achche Lagte Hain, she has named her new show Bas Itni Si Baat. The show based on the film Biwi No 1 will star Mona Singh who returns to fiction after her superhit show Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi. Pawan Shankar will co-star in this romantic drama to air on Sony in January.
Jhalak of Madhuri
Anil Kapoor (December 24, 1959, Mumbai) earned his first Filmfare Best Actor Award for his performance in N. Chandra’s Tezaab in 1988 and later for Indra Kumar’s Beta in 1992. He has starred in many critically and commercially successful films, including Woh Saat Din, Meri Jung, Janbaaz, Karma, Mr. India, Virasat; Biwi No.1, Taal for which he won his second Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award; Pukar, for which he won his first National Film Award for Best Actor.