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Hot & Hospitable
The hospitality industry was at its best in 2011. Chandigarh saw the opening of three big hotels, a host of lounges as well as restaurants, in addition to the old ones re-inventing themselves Manpriya Khurana Did we maintain the tempo set in the previous year? We went a little easy on the lounges, added three new hotels, did a little re-jig with the restaurants and there you go with the latest count being twelve! Come January, come June, each month the hospitality guys were busy dishing out an option for hanging out. To cut the long story short, hospitality in Chandigarh was happening and for real.
Shivalik View’s Cloud 9, with its overview of greenery, overlooking the hills, became the next best address for a while. And did it boast of an area of 4,000 sq feet?
Moving on, exactly at the other end of the tricity there was KC Royal Park. Though you did have to meander your way to the Chandigarh-Ambala highway, the fight with traffic is worth it. Nestled next to the Panchkula golf course in Sector 3, overlooking the serene Morni hills, this architectural delight is a must-visit.
For those who are forgetting — Lemon 35 too attempted to chip in with a multi-cuisine menu; Lebanese food with a Punjabi twist. For those who’ve lost the count already, there’s many more to come. Come October and Hotel Icon and Smoke House enter with a bang. Did the youngsters take to Smoke House like anything? Young or old, cool or cold, soon anybody who was somebody was seen lounging about in the red and white interiors of the place. Hotel Icon in Sector 8, kept up the city’s affair with boutique hotels, apart from adding Teppanyaki to the city’s culinary dictionary. Breathless, already? The Lalit is coming soon, but that’s for 2012...let the good times roll! manpriya@tribunemail.com
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Hitting the bull’s eye
Mona “Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t,” Hirdesh Madan, co-founder of Bulls Eye sums up the essence of entrepreneurship. During the second-year of his MBA, Hirdesh was bitten by the entrepreneurship bug. And in 1998, he started the journey with batch-mates Sanjay Kumar and Deepak Mongia with an aim to make it big in the field of education. The MBA preparatory institute in Chandigarh that started with just 60 students in 1998 today has three different companies in the field of formal and parallel education. Hirdesh shares his success mantra. Remain determined I remember I used to work almost 90 hours in a week for the first two years when we opened Bulls Eye. In new enterprises you have to lead by example, otherwise you cannot inspire your team. I think hardwork is the first key to success. For an entrepreneur, it is all about creating new challenges and then conquering them with lots of hardwork and determination. The biggest misconception is that you require all the money in the world to start business. As an entrepreneur, find the business gaps (they exist even in the most competitive world) and then fill these gaps with your grit, determination and hard work. Fair & square If you want to play for a long-term, you have to be 100 per cent fair to all the stakeholders. In our case these are students, staff and vendors. I can recall an incident where a student who enrolled for personality and GD programme with us complained about less number of teaching hours; I patiently listened to him, then gave him a blank cheque and asked him to decide the refund amount. I still remember that he was zapped. In thirteen years, we have come across so many employees who were unfair to the organisation but that has not stopped us from being fair to every individual who has been a part of our team. Wide vision I believe that a good leader needs to have a vision. I also believe that a good leader needs to have the ability to convey his vision to others and to win them over to his side; working alone you cannot achieve anything. We have changed with changing times. When CAT turned online in 2008, we were not taken by surprise because we had anticipated this to happen. We could conduct online exam successfully despite the short notice of three months that we got to sort out everything. You can’t afford to be complacent, especially when it comes to technology in today’s world. Humility pays At Bulls Eye everybody is respected as a human being. Whether it is Diwali party or birthdays, we celebrate together, irrespective of designation and rank. We try to provide maximum space to people working with us. I cannot recall a single incident in thirteen years when we have poached anybody from competition. People come to us because they have heard about our open work culture, which is our biggest strength. Creativity wins I think we were able to think differently on many occasions. We started using powerpoint presentations way back in 1999, when in our industry people had hardly any exposure to computers and Internet. We had Internet account in 1998 when most of the people had not heard about it. We were the first ones in Chandigarh to conduct Mock Cats at the city level. Operating business today is like rowing in turbulent waters. Instead of looking for tranquillity, one has to learn how to steer in such waters. It is all about taking up challenges and making things certain with skill as well as determination. mona@tribunemail.com
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Fashion Fur-y
And in the emotive advertisement the group has a cute picture of two fox cubs, with the statement, “Kim these babies miss their mother. Is she on your back.” In addition to the adverts, the animal rights organisation has also blasted her on their website. “Kim knows that animals on fur farms are beaten, electrocuted, and often skinned alive. We’ve explained it to her, and she’s watched a video expose that was filmed inside fur farms. When Kim is ready to put an end to her relationship with fur, PETA will be happy to take her discards and donate them to the homeless,” said Lisa Lange, senior vice-president, PETA. Ironically she turned out to support a PETA campaign poster against fur which featured her sister Khloe earlier this year. She posed with her sister next to the picture in 2008 that states ‘Fur? I’d Rather Go Naked’, after her younger sibling stripped off for the charity.. —PTI
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Break se pehle
Popular actor Kritika Kamra, who is currently seen as Dr Nidhi in Sony’s Kuch Toh Log Kahenge is looking forward to New Year celebrations. The actress is taking a three-day break. We got Kritika to talk about herself…
Problem area I have got a skin allergy on the face. It is not a major one and you can’t see it on the screen. But it’s there. I went to the dermatologist but they haven’t been able to diagnose the problem. I think it’s make-up clog or something but I don’t know anything for sure. I don’t want it to grow so that has been worrying me for a while. Meeting parents I recently met my parents. They had come down to spend some time with me. They left about couple of days ago. Since I don’t get much time to go anywhere, it was good to meet them. Number game The TRPs for the show, Kuch Toh Log Kahenge, have increased this week. I don’t really believe in the number game but yes, it felt nice to see such growth. Hope our show continues to grow. The Don magic I am really excited about the film. I love Shah Rukh so I really not going to miss this film. I will hopefully watch this weekend with friends. Shopping spree I have been thinking of going for shopping but I may go somewhere abroad. So, that’s why I have kept my shopping plans on hold. It would be better to shop abroad as I always shop here. Hello New Year I am taking three days off on New Years’ so I am looking forward to it. I haven’t planned anything yet because I don’t really get time. Half of my friends are going to Thailand and half of them are going to Goa, so I am not sure where to go. I am worried that I may end up being at home on New Year Eve. Hence, I hope to finalise something and buy tickets.
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Brand new avatar
Katrina Kaif is garnering a lot of praise for gyrating to item number Chikni Chameli in Karan Johar's forthcoming film. But the actress says the "lavni" style dancing was not a cakewalk for her.
"The response to Chikni Chameli has been fun so far. It was hard work. It was very fast and it was not a style I was used to, but I took it as a challenge...I think we all went for it as a team and did the best we could. I am happy people are liking it," the 27-year-old actress said while launching a new range of electronic goods. Even actor Salman Khan is smitten by the song and Katrina is happy about this. "He has not told that to me but I think that's a great thing. He has a great taste in music and songs. So, if he likes it then it's great," said Katrina who featured in two more item numbers in Shiela ki Jawani and Bodyguard. New Year is round the corner and Katrina is pleased with the way 2011 shaped up for her. "2011 has been a really great year for me. All the goals I had in hand, I think everything turned out really well. I am very grateful for that...The best I could have wanted to come out of every project has come true this year," said Katrina who had two releases this year - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan. Katrina has some plum projects in her kitty -- she is working on Ek Tha Tiger with Salman, Dhoom 3 and Yash Chopra's untitled new venture which is expected to feature Shah Rukh Khan. So far, it’s been going good for the lady and she can’t wait to begin her new year.
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Hats off to remakes
Priyanka was last seen in Farhan Akhtar's Don 2: The King is Back, a sequel to IBegins Again (2006), which was a remake of the 1978 Hindi cult classic Don, starring Amitabh Bachchan. The actress would be next seen in Agneepath. Priyanka is playing the lead role opposite Hrithik. "I had not seen Agneepath until the time Karan Malhotra told me about this film. When you create a remake, it is a good thing in a way, as the younger generation might not have seen the cult classic films and experienced it," Priyanka said. "Remaking cult classics...old films are a tribute to that cinema. These films (remakes) are inspired. So it is for today's generation to watch it and get familiar with those films. In case of Agneepath, Karan Malhotra (director) has done it in a brilliant way. So there are no comparisons between these films as we are not trying to make it that way or reach...touch that level," she said. In Agneepath, which is Karan Johar's forthcoming film as a producer, Priyanka essays the role of a Maharashtrian girl- Kaali. "For the second time, I was playing a Maharashtrian girl. So when I was talking to Karan Malhotra about this character, we were clear that it should be different from Sweety in Kaminey. Hope she does justice to the role.— PTI
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Kodak moment
Twilight actress Ashley Greene says it is "cool" to appear on a giant billboard in New York for DKNY. The 24-year-old actress is the new face of the brand and says it was amazing to see her campaign be unveiled in New York's Times Square, reported "This is very cool. There are a lot of firsts for me here today. It's my first photo op in Times Square, my first time on one of these buses and my first billboard for DKNY Jeans. It's an exciting day. The campaign shots turned out great. They're such talented photographers and really captured the essence of New York," Green said. The actress is also an ambassador for Mark cosmetics and said she's happy that the two brands she works with are so complementary. "They pair together nicely. They reach the same demographic, young and carefree. And they both provide a positive message of empowerment for women," she said. — PTI
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One of its kind
Karan Johar has remade the 1990 action-drama Agneepath with Hrithik Roshan in the lead, but the filmmaker says he and director Karan Malhotra never attempted to recreate the magic of the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer original.
"How can anyone emulate Amitabh Bachchan? Nobody should do that and it is to Karan Malhotra's intelligence and Hrithik's conviction that they understood it really well and approached the film and the characters in their own way," Johar said. "What we have done in our version is to pay homage to the yesteryear Agneepath with a great amount of reverence for the genius of Mukul S Anand and Amitabh Bachchan," he added. As per Johar, the core idea behind that was to stay away from the norms because he didn't want to be accused of just repeating the success formula. "If we had made Vijay Deenanath Chauhan as just the same character that has been played before, we would have been asked why we played safe. It only made sense for us to worship what had been accomplished instead of trying to impersonate it. It would have been impossible for any actor to get the kind of swagger, style and baritone as Amitabh Bachchan had brought to fore in Agneepath." When Agneepath was first released, it was an out-and-out action drama. Though the film didn't do well at the box office, it has attained a cult status over the years. How have the commercial elements been taken care of in the 21st century version? "This is an action film but there is a lot more to it as well. This is a emotionally dramatic film. Action is there but it is mainly a tool to portray drama. Also, an entirely different world that has been created this time around. The Agneepath of today is totally different from the Agneepath of two decades back," said Johar. In the promos, Hrithik is seemingly subdued when compared to the persona that Amitabh Bachchan had brought on screen, even Sanjay Dutt is remarkably different from Danny Denzongpa as Kaancha
Cheena. — PTI
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Aamir to pen an autobiography
After a fulfilling and enviable career in Bollywood, Aamir Khan says he would like to pen an autobiography.
"I would love to write an autobiography. When I think about my life, career, relations, the film industry and the experiences, I feel I should write an autobiography. I want to share the experiences and all...but it is a difficult task," Aamir said.
The 46-year-old actor started off as a child actor in his uncle Nasir Hussain's Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973). Eleven years later, he debuted as professional actor with Holi (1984) and had the first commercial hit with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988). Known to be choosy, his films such as Lagaan (2001), Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Rang De Basanti (2006), Taare Zameen Par (2007) and 3 Idiots (2009) became landmarks in the history of the last two decades of Bollywood. And this month, Aamir and his wife Kiran Rao announced the birth of their son, Azad Rao Khan, through a surrogate mother whom he named after his great grand uncle Maulana Azad. — PTI
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Shoe bites
Customers have been returning pairs of pop star Cheryl Cole's new shoe range complaining of faulty stitching. Several shoppers are unhappy with the quality of their Your Royal Hotness platform stilettos, which retail from a website at 79.90 pounds because of poor-quality stitching on the strap and heel, reported a publication online.
"I love Cheryl Cole's style and thought the shoes looked fantastic on the website. When I got them, there was immediately a problem with the heel. The packaging was fantastic but the quality of the shoes was awful," a customer said. "I was really disappointed, I couldn't wear them to my work Christmas party," another added. The website has now sent an email to customers advising the shoe, which comes in two shades, may be faulty and have offered a replacement or refund if the stitching comes apart. The Parachute hitmaker's eight design collection went on sale only two weeks ago. — PTI
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Let the good times roll
The 47-year-old Oscar winning actress, who has a 23-month-old adopted son Louis Bardo, says one of her favourite things about the holiday season is getting to watch festive films, reported a website. "I love Christmas and Christmas movies. It's not Christmas unless I watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas, I have this thing for Dr. Seuss - I just love him, especially around the holidays," Bullock said. The Hollywood star also said that she spends the Christmas period in exactly the same way every year and says her celebrations begin at midnight. - PTI
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Charlize thinks she is miserable
Actress Charlize Theron says she could relate to her role of a self-destructive teen in her upcoming film Young Adult because she herself is "miserable".
The 36-year-old insists she didn't have to try too hard to achieve the series of unpleasant expressions her character displays in the film, reported a website.
The actress also said she was attracted to do the movie, written by Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman, because the role was a gift with a fascinating background. "I mean, this character was eating cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was just a gift. It was really interesting because I think the character could easily have been fun and outlandish and what's great about Jason being the shepherd and Diablo writing is that there was a foundation to it - it wasn't just 'Let's go for the joke'." — PTI
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Under my umbrella
"Somebody asked me if I'd like to sing with Rihanna and I thought, 'Who wouldn't?' She looks fantastic, she's got a great voice, but in the case of duets, if it's feasible, it's always a matter of what the song is. "If we both like the song, that's the best way to do a duet. I couldn't just say, 'Yes, I'll come' and then sing some dance thing I don't like," he said. The 71-year-old singer is also keen to work with pop phenomenon Gaga and says he's not sure if either artist would consider working with him. "Well, Gaga's got a great voice. These people are great singers. It would be dependent on whether they wanted to sing with someone like me," he added. Many other musicians have earlier expressed a strong desire to work with popstar Rihanna. — PTI
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Mistletoe, wine and stars
Lavish decorations, colourful lights and elaborates feasts— television actors were in the mood for some festivity. Check out how telly actors celebrated Christmas this year
Rakhi Sawant I did cut a cake on Christmas Eve, went to the church, prayed and asked God for his forgiveness for all my sins. I bought gifts for my family members. I think many people don’t know the true meaning of Christmas. It isn’t about getting drunk, partying and then lying in gutter. It’s the day when God’s child was born who died for our sins. This Christmas I wished for the Lokpal Bill to be passed. Vivian D’sena Vahbiz and I were busy buying the decorations for Christmas, decorating the tree and putting up everything. I went home on Christmas. I celebrated it with my family. Usually, I shop for gifts just a day in advance as I don’t get much time. But luckily this year, I was able to shop for gifts before time. This Christmas I wished to God for more joy and harmony in my life. Pooja Gor I was busy shooting on Christmas. We had a very hectic schedule and due to time constraint, I couldn’t take off. But after I finished my shoot, I went on a long drive with my friends in Mumbai. It was so much of fun to see all the lights and watch other people celebrate this festival. Pratigya completed two years on December 7, so my wish to God is that make it even more successful over the next two years. Alex O’Neil My house is getting repainted, so all my things are stuffed in my bedroom. The Christmas tree was right next to my bed. This Christmas and New Year is going to be a cleansing routine for me as I am pushing things out of the house and bringing in new stuff. I attended a couple of parties with friends on Christmas. Moreover, I have been really busy with house and work. I am hosting the New Year event at Amby Valley.
Ragini Khanna I love the whole merriment around Christmas. There’s a happy feeling. The whole city gets decorated and it looks very beautiful with lights and decorations. I also love the cake and candies that gets served especially on Christmas. I partied with my friends on Christmas. I wished happiness for everyone. Melanie Pais Being a catholic, Christmas is the only festival that I have known since childhood. It’s the time of the year when all my family members come together to celebrate. This year I will celebrated it at home with my family. Mohit Malhotra I had put some decorations in the house. This year my friends decided to be Secret Santa, so I bought gifts and celebrated Christmas with friends. It was just a small celebration and get together as we all met up for dinner.
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The year ahead
If your birthday is December 27...
In 2012, there is something to be said for thinking outside the box in your most intimate relationships. It’s all too easy to get caught up in ruts and routine. This doesn’t mean you have to go all-out for an open relationship to keep things interesting, but it’s a call to break out of the monotony of old patterns and expectations. Letters, e-mails, and phone messages may demand most of your attention right now. Catching up on your correspondence is the key to maintain supportive relationships. Don’t let a disgruntled soul get to you. Talk gently to them so they learn how to be gentle in their ways. They’ll calm down on their own, eventually. Employees can expect stress and a strong sense of intolerance. Patience and faith in your goals will help you but will not be enough. Romance surrounds you at every turn. If you’re already in a relationship, schedule a luxury holiday with your amour. The two of you will have a great time in the mountains, viewing the world from a lofty vista. Your popularity gets a big boost early in 2012 and you can ride the wave for longer than you’d expect. The stars advise reflecting and reacting. The work assigned to you might be a test of your expertise and knowledge. Therefore you should put all your efforts into this task. Its successful completion will bring many other offers in you way. If you are still pursuing your studies then this time frame would be favourable for you. Personal illness, fatigue, emotional issues, loss or injury may stunt your ability to perform. Have patience with yourself if you hit this one. Take the idealistic and forgiving approach. You project a stable image. Be willing to compromise.You may get reasonable offer if you are planning to buy a vehicle. Good financial position is indicated. Your physical shape and the way you look after your body leave a lot to be desired. A balanced diet should be in your chart this week. Property affairs take off with a swing, be it house or land. Mood: Emotionally cluttered. Compatible signs: Scorpio, Gemini. Lucky colours: Red, Magenta. Lucky days: Tuesday and Friday. Lucky numbers: 5, 9, 11, 15, 40. Lucky gem: Turquoise. Lucky flower: Sweet-William.
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Astro Turf
ARIES: Be positive in your approach. You will be better able to cope with jobs that require team efforts. Be wary of a situation where it could be easy to make a mistake in haste.
Tarot message: You will get help if you ask for it. TAURUS: Where you go and whatever you do, the focus of everyone’s attention is likely to be on you. Relatives will be sensitive and difficult to get along with. Focus on personal affairs. Tarot message: Wait for a while, everything will get sorted out. GEMINI: A secret love affair will bring you pleasure. Make your boss aware of all the hard work that you have been putting in. Accepting accolades will promote confidence. Tarot message: You need to be creative if you want to retain your grip over your business. CANCER: Keep your mind on the job throughout the day. Do not be tempted to day dream of what lies ahead. Be tactful in your criticism though emotions will be easily aroused. Tarot message: Health of an elderly member at home might need attention. Lucky
colour: Peach. LEO: Old acquaintances are likely to pop up and you will be intrigued to exchange stores. No need to make any important move today. In the office more efforts may be expected from you without the possibility of higher income. Tarot message: Feel good about yourself. Lucky colour: Orange. VIRGO: A call or a visit from a relative you have not seen for ages brings an opportunity to remember the past. Past differences could easily cause quarrels today. Employment affairs will run smoothly. Tarot message: You may encounter difficulties regarding finances. Lucky
colour: Pink. Magic number: 30
LIBRA: This is a fantastic time to contact and visit others folk and to keep abreast of their news and gossip. Push hard for the good results that you are capable of achieving. Don’t worry about your health. Tarot message: A good time to open up new doors. Lucky color: Yellow. SCORPIO: The card King of Wands reveals best moments to relax with friends and loved ones. This is a good day for household repairs. You should be lucky in your choice of entertainment. Be sure to grasp the job opportunity. Tarot message: Avoid gossiping at work place. Lucky colour: Fuchsia. SAGITTARIUS: Discussing with those in close proximity increase, but you will instinctively know when to talk. Defer making investments. Domestic interests move at an easy pace. Tarot message: You can stabilise your financial situation if you make property investments. Lucky
colour: Burgundy. CAPRICORN: Catching up on jobs you have been putting off for a while seems a wise idea. You will shine in surroundings that are unfamiliar. You may be joining with a person older than yourself in an exciting venture. Tarot message: Over optimism could lead to mistakes. AQUARIUS: Do not miss the opportunity to unload unfinished business. You will be amazed how much lighter you will feel when you have shed those concerns. New partnership can be formed. Tarot message: Do not overspend just to impress others. Lucky colour: Peach. PISCES: Use your status of communication boldly. Patronage from powerful individuals can validate your efforts. Share problems with loved ones. Get on with minor repair jobs at home. Do not take any risk with your savings. Tarot message: Leave things open ended for best results. Lucky colour: Deep Red. Magic number: 40
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First things first — we had the likes of Girl in The Café and Hot Millions’ venture High Point enter the hospitality scene. Girl in the Café with its central location, amazing outdoor seating ensured that the city’s affair with gourmet cafes continues. Can there ever be enough of eating joints in the great grand Sector 17? The young and the old took to the place with open arms. High Point, yet another brand from the stable of Hot Millions, added to the quantity and quality of fine-dining multi cuisine options. 
The inauguration and the opening routine reached a high point when in July all roads led to the JW Marriott. The five-star announced its arrival, flung open its doors; and not to forget added a host of Italian and Indian restaurants. In one go, we had Oregano, Saffron, Café 17 and a bakery all added to the city. And the best part — it was only the second JW Marriott, post Mumbai. 
Mind you, we are yet not counting the guest DJ’s that kept barging in and out of the lounges as well as discs to increase the party quotient. Somewhere in between, Bella Vista’s Bella Asia opened its fusion journey for Tricity foodies. Somewhere in September, Shivalik View’s sixth floor Rain Forest brought in the ambience of a rainforest in an eco-friendly manner. The concept went down well with people who fancied having a picnic in the jungle along with their kids while being right amidst the city concrete! 
The 31-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians star has regularly been spotted wearing such jackets this year, despite already being chastened by the group, who named her their worst dressed person of 2010.
Actress Priyanka Chopra, who has acted in the remake versions of Don and Agneepath, says the remakes provide younger generation an opportunity to revisit the original
cult films.
The 39-year-old filmmaker, whose father Yash Johar had produced the earlier film, says they wanted to take the basic core of Agneepath and narrate it in an altogether different manner because it was "virtually impossible" to emulate something as powerful as Vijay Deenanth Chauhan.
Speed star Sandra Bullock says she has to watch her favourite festive films over the Christmas period to get in the mood for the season.
Asked if she had to practice her sneery looks, she said, "No, I'm miserable. I realised how important it was, just the look on the face thing, when we did the first four days in Minneapolis. By day two I was like, 'Wow this is really kind of insular. I realised I had to come up with a way to show who this character was without really saying that much," Theron said.
British pop legend Cliff Richard says he wants to do a collaboration with singers Rihanna and Lady Gaga.
The Summer Holiday hit maker, who has previously sung with Elton John, is a fan of the Umbrella singer and would like to share a duet with Rihanna, a publication reported.
Salman Khan (Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan, December 27, 1965 , Indore) is the eldest son of Bollywood screenwriter Salim Khan. He was voted as 7th best-looking man in the world by People magazine, US in 2004. Madame Tussauds wax museum in London offered Salman to have a wax replica made of him. He is the fourth Indian actor to have been replicated as a wax statue in the museum. Salman Khan faced lots of legal troubles and was arrested for rash driving. Salman Khan made a debut with a small role in Biwi Ho To Aisi. Numbers 3, 6 and 9 will play a key role in his life. The year 2013 will bring a great reward to him.