|
|
|
|
|
Copy right or wrong?
To begin with, it’s walking the tightrope between inspiration and imitation. But unfortunately what is done on the pretext of ‘just-keeping-in-tow-with-fashion’ is found most of the times on the wrong side. Inspiration becomes blatant imitation. Not that the copied versions annoy the creative minds behind the originals each time, but exceptions can’t be ruled out. If photocopies of Madhuri Dixit’s purple saree and backless blouse in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun went down well with creators, Salman Khan was baffled with the fakes of his Being Human brand storming the markets. To counter the problem, a few designers are taking bold steps —Raghavendra Rathore has filed for the copyright of the revived Jodhpuri Bandgala jacket and Jodhpuri Breeches, Gaurav Jai Gupta has applied for the patent of his invention, swarvoski fabric. To copy it or not to copy it that is the question.
Raghvendra Rathore is pretty justified when he says he wants a copyright to his designs. It was he who brought the long-forgotten designs on the “World fashion map.” Keeping the styles as the central theme, he has come with a plethora of designs. “We catapulted the old design to a level where it has become the ultimate fashion for men. After 20 years of working on the bandgala, the design has become synonymous with my name, why shouldn’t I ask for the copyright,” says the designer. It’s not for the commercial competition that he wants a legal right over the designs. “That doesn’t bother me because copied versions lack originality. These lack a sense of the constant, which is a signature style of bandhgalas and breeches from our fashion house.” Similar dedication and hardwork went behind inventing the hand-woven Swarvoski work. What was earlier sewn or pasted as embellishments was mixed with the fabric and brought on the ramp by inventor-designer, Guarav Jai Gupta, at the recently held Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week. Getting a patent for the same would mean getting due for the efforts, money and vision that was invested to come up with a new fabric. “It took us one complete year to come up with the final product. We went through a lot of testing times in between the conceptualisation and execution of the idea. And, I have been a purist throughout, so, why should I shy away from insuring my hardwork and getting a patent.” It’s for the first time in the history of the Indian fashion industry that a patent will be applied for. But designer colleague, Aneeth Arora doesn’t share the sentiment. Substantiating her stance with logic, she says, “Neither Swarovski is new nor any fabric. We all work with the same raw materials, what makes it all different is the twist we lend.” She says that even if she comes up with novel idea, she won’t ever file for a patent, “Because the base of the idea would be age-old anyway.” On the other hand there’s also example of designer Anuj Sharma, who wants his collection Button Masala to go viral with small-time designers and tailors. The idea behind the collection was that as many people should be able to replicate it. “I see it the other way round. If the design is picked up by all tailors and people start wearing it on the streets, will eventually get credit for introducing a new technique of garment making — by using buttons,” he adds. But each to its own! Some want their creativity to be insured, some want to share theirs. Whatever be the case, important is customer goes back happy with a great design. ashima@tribunemail.com
One of the most famous examples in the same frame is of Christian Louboutin’s applying for patent for the red outersoles back in 1991. However, in the year 2011, he lost the suit against another ace designer; Yves Saint Laurent for making shoes with red outersoles where in the judge in question argued that you can’t patent a colour.
|
|
From an artist’s den
Bharatanatyam exponent Suchitra Mitra brings Bandi Bir, rendition of one of Tagore’s poem in Chandigarh. Suchitra finds a close connect to Tagore, not only because she studied and taught at Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, also because she speaks the same language as his (Bengali).
Picking up one of his works and presenting it in an altogether different medium, ‘dance’ was a challenging process. The poem she picked describes the contribution of the youth of Punjab in the battle against the Mughals. Suchitra shares what made her go for Bandi Bir. “I have been living in Chandigarh for last 12 years. Unfortunately, he is not that well-known in this region. I sifted through his works, and, the poem on Banda Bahadur was the only creation apart from the Gurus that I thought I could present on the stage.” The process has not been an easy one. In order to be able to do justice to the theme, Suchitra along with her students learnt gatka, the martial arts form, religiously for four months. However, Bandi Bir is a dance drama, she clarifies. “We have used gatka techniques in the dance form.” Suchitra has learnt quite a few dance forms—Kathakali, Chhau and Manipuri— then why being partial to Bharatanatyam? “There is no reason as such, It’s just thatI have been drawn towards it since my childhood. Bharatanatyam somehow comes from inside me, I guess, I can best express myself in it,” she says. Not only she gives presentations across the country and around the world, Suchitra has been teaching dance for some 25 years now. What’s remarkable is that she has done quite some work with special children. “I have had workshops with deaf and dumb children and also with those with Down’s syndrome. More than what I teach, I learn more from them. Patience, humility, tolerance are few qualities that I have imbibed in my interactions with them.” Process of Bandi Bir has totally engulfed this dancer. The journey from conceiving to presentation on stage has quite been an exhaustive one. But it has left her thrilled also at the same time. “I have given more than 100 per cent to the Bandi Bir,” says Suchitra. On at Tagore Theatre — 18 on Monday 7pm. (All are welcome) mona@tribunemail.com
|
|
Regional touch
And you thought only Mahesh Bhatt specialises in churning sequels. Well, it is not only Bollywood or Hollywood where we see a part I or II, closer to us the regional cinema has also plunged into the sequel scene. In offering is Chandrawal 2, regional Haryanavi movie, which opens in theatres on May 4. The cast and crew of the movie chats up on various aspects of making this sequel living up to the success of Chandrawal, and taking the lead from where they left last.
Produced under the banner of Prabhakar Films, Chandrawal 2 is the first regional movie made with Dolby effect. Nishant Prabhakar, co-producer and director of the movie calls it as a technically superior movie, which have the list of actors and Bollywood singers attached to it. "Bollywood music director Uttam Singh has done the music, and singers like Shaan, Udit Narayan, Richa Sharma and Sonu Kakkar have sung in the movie," he says. Making a sequel is quiet a creative challenge, ask Mahesh Bhatt. "It sure is," echo the lead actors Shikha Nehra, Kuldeep Rathi and Deepak Kapoor of the movie. "We are new comers and we had to live up to the expectations of the movie. The earlier Chandrawal had set a benchmark in Haryanavi cinema and we had to live up to that," they share looking at the lady who played the original Chandrawal, Usha Sharma. Now essaying the role of a producer in the movie Usha Sharma finds production a bigger challenge than acting. "I have to take care of the entire production department, running for things. Acting was fun and very creative," she smiles. Back to the new Chandrawal, Shikha Nehra, "I hope audiences will enjoy me as the new Chandrawal. I saw the old movie and have tried to keep up to the mannerism and style of the old actress." But this wasn't the only challenge; the art direction team was running around to create the sets that would have something of the old flick. Pooja Prabhakar, art director of the movie adds, "We were looking for absolutely traditional costumes and props. I studied the area where the movie was to be set and then created costumes accordingly." With Punjabi, Bengali and Bhojpuri cinema giving competition to Bollywood, Haryanavi movies too are trying their cards in this. As for Nishant, "We want the audiences to appreciate and enjoy regional cinema. We had to face a lot of hardships while making this movie." With people telling him that the movie is not meant for niche audiences, Nishant wanted to prove it wrong. "Don't people watch Punjabi cinema, why wouldn't they enjoy Haryanavi cinema? No one was ready to fund the project so my mother mortaged her house to the bank for the same. We have put in our heart and soul in the project, hopefully this will set a new level in regional cinema." jasmine@tribunemail.com
It seems like a trend, almost every movie begins or follows up with a controversy. Even before the release, Dinesh Tundal, the director of the movie is calling foul. He says he is not being given credit for the movie. Nishant Prabhakar, producer of the movie however says that Deepak left the project on the editing table only. "We tried to contact him but he did not respond, and now he wants the credit of the movie when we have put in everything into it." |
||||||||
|
Real world, virtual success
If on one hand, it is Bollywood and its daring and different movies that are grabbing attention of the viewers, somewhere on the other screen animated characters are running
all over. And adding a new chapter to this is Chandigarh based duo Ajay and Yash Arora. They bring in another dimension to animation- 3D game development for Sony play station and Microsoft X Box. These young entrepreneurs who entered
into this field 15 years back call virtual gaming as the next big thing.
Says Ajay, who runs Morph Academy, a 3D
Animation and Fashion CAD institute and Smoke Colors( a software company that takes only overseas assignments), “Gaming is a very popular trend in our country. But kids prefer picking up games prepared in abroad. We are bringing in latest technology in 3D Animations,
3-D games, iPhone and Android applications, wherein we would make virtual gaming the next big thing.” What started as a job of a computer operator, Ajay Sharma had a dream to be the best typist in Chandigarh. He laughs, “This was the limit of technology for me. I come from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh and being a typist was big thing. I was joined in by my school time friend Yash and together we bought a computer,” he adds laughing his heart out when he shares that Yash’s parents threatened to virtually throw them out. Things changed when they got a break with textile major Trident Group designing web portal and designing their audio video advertisements. “The world of multi media and mobile applications has grown a lot. Indian market is flooded with various gaming options. What we need is to add to this existing market by creating our own content.” With Bollywood and Hollywood taking to the new 3D dimension on a big scale, creativity can be let loose now. They both look at each other, “The new dimension whether it movies or gaming is catching on. It makes everything look real, moving and being a part of it,” says Ajay who was catering to a US based company for a long time before they decided to start on their own. “It is important to have passion and basic understanding of this field. One has to keep working on it, because everyday brings in something new,” adds Ajay who doesn’t miss to tell us
that he and his friend Yash have slept in the office for hours to finish assignments. “Technology is ever-growing and
every-changing, we have to understand the need of the market.”
|
||||||||
|
Jewel deal
For any kid going to Disneyland is a dream come true, and for any woman leave her in a jewellery store and she wouldn’t ask for anything else! The newly opened Anaha, a designer jewellery Emporio in sector-34 is that one stop place where you can see and buy the best pieces from different corners of the world. Simran Gosal Bhullar, chief designer Anaha has an
eye for detail, which is why she has ensured that every piece at the Emporio looks different.
“We wanted to bring in light weight jewellery of various kinds because it is not feasible to wear heavy chunks all the time,” says Simran whose travels to India and abroad make her understand, study and pick the best of pieces. If at one corner tribal chunks hang from a wooden artifact, the other wooden almirah has diamond designs from France Viona, genuine gemstones designs from North America are brought under Zayna and gold silver jewellery showcased Evana. Adds Simran who goes about explaining the pieces that are either handpicked from some part of the country or prepared by their artisans. “The Emporio has a mix of traditional and contemporary jewellery that can be worn at all occasions and can also be looked at as investment.” The place that is tastefully done has a collection of Punjabi jewellery, Anaha as well with popular motifs like peacock. Gem designs from Hyderabad, Omrao have a touch of class and royalty. Interestingly and modern South American Bronze designs Inca have contemporary designs that can be worn by young women and those who like to look modern. Simran along with Harmanjot Singh, CEO Anaha, has designed the Emporio keeping in mind women from young to old. “Semi precious stones, art and costume jewellery in silver, bronze, acrylic and wood and other material is also available at Anaha.
|
||||||||
|
Master Chef
Pickles are guaranteed to tickle the taste buds! We do a range of achaars in our cuisine but cucumbers are not usually on our list. Pickled cucumbers or gherkins originated in East Europe.
They are delightful in a sandwich, salad or even a soup. Last week I was thrilled to discover the Armenian variety of cucumbers in our mandi! These are slim and shiny and wonder of wonders they don’t need peeling! Perfect for pickling! When you have a jarful in your fridge, you may encourage the kids to slap together a healthy sandwich with them. Remember, the longer the pickle remains in the fridge, the more salty it turns and more mushy it turns. n
Using a large vessel,
boil the water with the salt till rolling. (Nijhowne is a Chandigarh-based culinary expert)
6 thin-skinned cucumbers |
||||||||
|
Stress
buster Renee Singh
I would definitely recommend that you take charge of your emotional health first pinpointing a few of the major stressors in your life and then figuring coping techniques that work best for you. It is very important that you know where to fill the holes in your current stress management practice so that you know how to put these changes into effective action in your life. How to cope with stress simply and effectively . The best way of dealing with stress would be to prioritise a few according to your personal temperament. Realise that you need to relax Most people try to work through their stresses by hoping the stresses just go away. They simply just ‘push them under the carpet’ even while they are building up. You must know that you need to manage your stress and your psyche. It’s extremely important to know that you need to relax. Rel ax yourself physically Physically relaxing your body helps because it interrupts and reverses your stress response. It can stop a negative feedback cycle where your mind responds to stress by signalling a physical stress response and the tension in your body due to this response increases the level of stress you feel emotionally. Relax yourself emotionally and mentally Your experience of stress involves your thoughts and emotions. Sometimes you think you can’t handle the stresses you are facing and experience fear. This in turn perpetuates your stress response. Re-examine your thoughts and this can help relax you emotionally. Use self talk to understand your thoughts better Alter your cycle of thoughts to help you relax. Develop greater optimism. Understand cognitive re framing. Help yourself stay relaxed Since you have learnt how to consciously relax, you will experience less overall stress. Now you must learn how to maintain a certain level of relaxation. You must also learn the ability to bounce back even as you have new stressors coming into your life. Adding key features to your life will help you amass resources dealing with stressors that crop up in your life recurrently. You also become less reactive to these resources. Develop a lifestyle that helps you to relax and more easily manage your stress. Change your thinking One tip is that you stop your stress response before it is triggered. Stress is only triggered when you receive a real or perceived threat. Therefore you must: Cultivate an optimistic explanatory style View your stressors as challenges Use re-framing techniques Cut the stressor Cut a toxic relationship. Everyday you find people who routinely drain you, eliminate them from your life. Cut the clutter from your environment. Create a time management plan. Adopt stress relieving habits Whichever habit helps you to relieve stress hang on to it. Turn meditation or exercise into a regular habit. Get ongoing support Sharing your strategies with friends can help cheer you on. A well rounded, balanced and ongoing approach to stress management can bring stress relief plus long term benefits like increased health and happiness. Choose any one or many of these strategies to help you in staying there. (Singh is a Chandigarh based psychotherapist)
|
||||||||
|
Tweetie pie
@priyankachopra Coming to UP always reminds me of my childhood! The rickshaws I took to school..the thelas of goodies..the cantt..the heat..haha!nice! — You generally take a walk down the memory lane when old age starts shining. Can we see grey’s coming out Priyanka? @sonamakapoor Apparently nuttela settled sum lawsuit abt it misleading ppl in2 thinking its healthy..who cares! Its still my fav food in the whole world! — If not anything else, seriously, you are one fashion icone for India. We hope the nutella is soon closed, lest we find you in a size 6 soon Sonam. @kjohar25 The only sport i was ever a part of in school was Tug of war...my house needed an overweight student to balance an otherwise low weight team — Bollywood seems to be walking down the Boulevard of weighty dreams. It’s all right Karan, as soon as you give us good cinema, all flaws are accepted. @gauravkapur Hopelessly addicted to Chokra Jawaan. Brilliance by Amit Trivedi, Sunidhi, Vishal, Habib. Ouff! Well, a brilliant song will have everyone hooked Gaurav. You are not alone. The Chinki Chmeli are seenm shying away from the Jawan Chokra. @AliZafarsays Dear All. I have landed safely except that my seat never managed to come back to its original upright position after I reclined it to sleep. — Ali, you should honestly thank your stars that the only problem was with the seats and not the pilots, the plane or the weather conditions. That’s more uncomfortable, for sure.
|
||||||||
|
star track
I Kissed a Girl hitmaker Katy Perry’s new man Rob Ackroyd has been busy meeting her friends. The 27-year-old singer was introduced to the Florence and the Machine guitarist through mutual friends Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, reported a website. The couple was first spotted together at California festival Coachella earlier this month, and was recently seen enjoying dinner at Hollywood’s exclusive Chateau Marmont hotel with Perry’s friends. “Rob had his arm around Katy while the group were chatting. He looked at ease. It’s early days but she’s confident it may be going somewhere,” a source said. — PTI
Making a mark
Newbie actress Zoa Morani is all set to star opposite actor Imran Zahid in upcoming film Marksheet, based on the education racket and scams in the country.
Zoa, who made her Bollywood debut with Shah Rukh Khan’s production Always Kabhi Kabhi, will play a fashion student in the film to be directed by Rakesh Ranjan Kumar of Gandhi to Hitler fame. The makers of the film had earlier decided to cast a fresh face opposite Zahid for Marksheet, which is not just an issue based film but would also be a love story. However, under the creative guidance of film-maker Mahesh Bhatt, who is also a mentor to Zahid, the makers zeroed in on 23-year-old Zoa who had earlier portrayed a school student in Always Kabhi Kabhi and would fit in the character of a college student, said a source close to the film. Marksheet, inspired by the story of Ranjit Don who ran a racket leaking question papers for nation-wide exams, will mostly be shot around Delhi University while parts of it would be filmed in Bangalore, Mumbai and Kolkata. Zoa, daughter of producer Karim Morani, started out as an assistant director to Farah Khan for Om Shanti Om (2007) and Rajkumar Santoshi for Halla Bol (2008). — PTI
Justin Biber’s take on marriage
Justin Bieber wouldn’t tie the knot with girlfriend Selena Gomez anytime soon because he thinks he is too young. The teen popstar claims that he is not yet old enough to marry his actress and singer girlfriend, but hopes she is not offended by his decision. He was asked by a publication if he has plans to propose Gomez.
“No, I’m too young. One day, I will get engaged, when I have found the right person in five or 10 years. It doesn’t mean Selena is not the right person though! She’s going to kill me if I say that!” he said. The Baby hitmaker admits that being in a public relationship can be hard, but knows it is something that coms with he becoming famous. “It is not easy to be so young and to have a relationship with someone that doesn’t stay private. But, it is what I wanted, so I have to deal with it,” he said.
— ANI
Upset by the laws
Hollywood actress Halle Berry has hit out at the paparazzi for hounding her and daughter Nahla and says she wants to move to France where privacy laws will protect the youngster.
The 45-year-old star was recently denied permission to move to France with fiance Oliver Martinez and her daughter by a judge, as it would mean taking Nahla, four, away from her father and Berry’s ex Gabriel Aubry, reported a website. One photographer hiding in the bushes, it’s 20, 30 very close to us, causing commotion. I’m not complaining about me. I’m an adult; I can handle it. But children should not be subject to that. It’s just wrong. “There are laws like that in France, which is the reason I want go there. Laws that protect children, protect right to privacy. All I want is for my family and me to have a normal life. When I’m not at work, that’s very important to me,” Berry said.
— PTI
Back in action
Actor Sanjay Dutt, who gave knock out performances in several high-octane movies including hits like Khalnayak, Vaastav and Dus, was startled when action films faded in the mid-90s and comedy took centre stage.
“There was a time when Ajay, Akshay, Jackie, Sunny and me all were called action heroes and we lived in that era for a long time. And suddenly for us there was a period of no action...only comedy films were working. I was taken aback. It was surprising at that time,” said Sanjay, who explored action with Vijeta Taaqatwar, Kabzaa and Hathyar, among others. Also, there was a period (late 80s-early 90s) when actors like Akshay Kumar, Sunny Deol, Ajay Devgn, Jackie Shroff took the audience by surprise. Akshay was termed the Khiladi of Bollywood with films like Mohra, Sangharsh, Aankhen and the Khiladi series. While Sunny gave powerful performances in movies such as Arjun, Betaab, Ghayal, Ziddi and Damini among others. But then, there was a lull and comedy ruled the marquee. However, the 52-year-old actor is now happy that action is making a comeback in Hindi films. “That time I used to talk to Jackie, Sunny or Ajay and we all used to wonder where action has gone. I am happy that it has come back and that is what we are. The best part is that South cinema never forgot that (action). That is the reason South films are larger than life...people have fans,” Dutt
said.— PTI
Best from the west
Sonam Kapoor: I grew up watching The Godfather so I am fascinated by it. What a gripping book and an equally gripping movie with fine, nuanced characters. Sheer power!
For one and all Katrina Kaif: I like The Sound of Music, I saw it when I was little and loved the songs, the children, the romance and I enjoy it even today. It's a movie for all ages.
Catch if you can Aishwarya Rai: My all-time favourite movie is Casablanca. I need not tell you why I love it, you have to discover it for yourself!
Round the clock Imtiaz Ali: I would count Before Sunrise and Before Sunset among my favourite . They are so romantic, sweet with brilliant writing.
One for the future
After his last release Players drew a blank at the box office, actor Neil Nitin Mukesh is now gearing up for Bejoy Nambiar’s David and a psychological thriller called 3G, where his character has various layers.
“I am doing David and preparations are on for it. But before that, I am doing a film with Sonal Chauhan, it is called 3G. Its a horror film. It is on the lines of What Lies Beneath and Sixth Sense. It is a psychological horror. I have always gone for character oriented roles,” he said. “My character in 3G is completely layered. It is about a guy who gets possessed and like I said it is a psychological horror Neil, 30, feels our industry is way behind Hollywood and that there is a need for futuristic films to be made here as well. “I want a special change in our industry and that is of futuristic cinema.I wish audience accept futuristic films. We behind Hollywood. There are films like Jurassic Park, The Avengers that do good business here,” said Neil. “But when we make futuristic films here they do not do well. I feel cinema is fictitious and larger than life so should make these kind of films he said.
— PTI
Will the real Sunny Leone please stand up?
A new controversy has erupted over adult film sensation Sunny Leone! And once again it's over her name!
Until now, it was said that the Canadian adult film star's real name was Karen Malhotra. But latest findings have revealed that it is Karenjit Kaur Vohra. This has been ascertained on various websites which have carried a picture of her passport sporting her actual name from childhood. It is also said that her surname 'Leone' was coined from 'lioness' because she is a Punjabi Kaur. Taking off on this fact, Bollywood PR guru Dale Bhagwagar remarked, "A lioness is a lioness, whether you call her a Kaur Vohra, Malhotra or Leone. After all, what's in a name? It's the mindset, intelligence, intellect and personality that make a gritty lady what she is. And Brand Sunny Leone has that grit in abundance." That's some praise coming from a publicist who has mastered the art of controversy, having handled some of the biggest controversial names in Bollywood, including Shilpa Shetty, Priyanka Chopra, Sherlyn Chopra, Rakhi Sawant as well as highly discussed films like Don and Rock On! For the record, Sunny who participated in Bigg Boss Season 5, will now be seen in Pooja Bhatt's Jism 2 and is also speculated to star in Ekta Kapoor's sequel to Ragini MMS. Meanwhile, It hasn't even been a while since Sunny Leone declined an item number for Ram Gopal Varma's upcoming film Department. Now, there have been reports of the Indian-origin porn star accepting an item song in Apoorva Lakhia's Zanjeer remake. However, Leone denied the reports and said, "I am not doing any item song at the
moment!"
One step ahead
Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, who is expecting a baby, will store her child’s stem cells.
“Stem cell banking gives me the peace of mind for my baby’s health. By banking stem cells, my child will have more medical options in the future,” Shetty said in a statement. The Baazigar actress said this is the most precious and personal gift, she and her husband Raj Kundra could think of, for their little one. Gearing up for the most exciting phase of her life, motherhood, the 36-year-old said, “Motherhood is the best thing that can happen to a woman, it brings a sense of responsibility”. Shilpa would now also be actively involved in creating awareness among would-be parents on the importance of stem cell banking . With tremendous potential in curing critical diseases, stem cell therapy is regarded as the future of medical science. Stem cells extracted from the cord blood have positively treated conditions like leukemia, lymphoma, cerebral palsy and thalassemia major, though questions have always been raised if this tehrapy has ever been used so far. As someone who is looked upon as a role model and as a very successful woman in her own right, her decision to bank her baby’s stem cells would have the right influence and impact on the would-be parents. The actress who is now one of the co-owners of
the IPL franchise cricket team Rajasthan Royals, had shot to global fame after winning the British Celebrity Big Brother TV show in 2007.
— PTI
|
||||||||
|
chatter box
With a body like Gurmeet Choudhary, it’s no surprise that the actor loves beaches. He loves to travel and visit various places. We quizzed Gurmeet about his five favourite holiday spots. Goa I keep going to Goa whenever I have free time. This year alone I’ve visited Goa six times. But I never really get bored of Goa. I feel very fresh and rejuvenated. Bangkok It’s a special place for me because Debina and I had gone there for our honeymoon. We have many special memories attached with the place. It has to be our favourite. Malaysia I went to Malaysia for five days on a package deal. I got a lovely resort which served amazing food. It was ideal. I hope to visit there again in future. Puri Jagannath I like it because I find solace in there. It is also famous for Lord Vishnu’s temple. I keep visiting there to seek blessings. Also, I love the beaches there. You will find no one there unlike other places. Dubai Dubai as they say is a place for women to shop. Debina loves to shop in there. So I’ve been forced to like the place. We keep visiting Dubai every now and Debina loves her shopping spree. — HRM
Leading role
Nakuul Mehta who was last seen in Kumar Mangat’s film Haal-E-Dil has bagged the lead role in Rajshri Productioans’ upcoming untitled show on Star Plus. He is cast opposite newcomer Disha Parmar and the shooting will start soon.
The new baddie
Great American treat
The ninth season of the MTV Roadies will have something special for audiences. The channel has decided to take things a step further to make the journey more exciting and as will be shot in USA. Producers Rajiv and Raghu are excited about the development as it will make the contest more challenging. They have ensured that the budget doesn’t go overboard.
A humble pie
Anas Rashid, the lead male character of Diya Aur Baati Hum on Star Plus isn’t someone who has let the air get to his head. The grounded man claims he can’t lie or fake things to please people. He is a enjoying the success of his show, which is number on among all GECs. The journey of Suraj, he feels, has enriched his life and made him appreciate the small joys of life.
Rajshri Productions is working on a new show on Star Plus and have signed Mukesh Khanna and Ashlesha Sawant for the same. Now, the buzz is that Manasi Salvi too has been roped in. In the show she will play a mother in the dramatic love story of the show.
Jenn almost missed Friends…
Actress Jennifer Aniston almost missed out on her breakthrough role in hit sitcom Friends because she was contracted to star on another TV show. NBC network bosses thought of Aniston as the perfect person to portray Rachel Green when they were presented with the comedy. But Aniston had yet to sign a contract to officially join the show by the time it was ready to go into production in 1994.
TV executive Warren Littlefield says they took a huge risk keeping the 43-year-old on the project instead of simply recasting the role - because they weren’t completely sure if she would be able to quit her other job. “We had a little difficulty. She had actually signed on to do a series at CBS and we had to take her in second position. “We had to go into series production throwing millions of dollars at risk and we still did not have the rights to go forward with Jennifer,” Littlefield said. Aniston was eventually able to commit to Friends and the programme went on to become one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, winning multiple awards, and launching her career.
|
||||||||
|
Astro turf
TAURUS: You are likely to find an ideal partner. Be bold to speak out what is in your mind. Delays can be expected today. Relax; things will clear up and you will find that things are progressing by evening. Tarot message: Beware of depleting your energy or resources on others. Lucky colour: Peach. Lucky number: 38 GEMINI: You will be able to enjoy interacting with people who share your views and thoughts. Your ability to communicate effectively will help you to enhance your reputation. Today loved ones will be more demanding. Trust your intuition. Tarot message: Arrogance and pride will not be rewarded. Lucky colour: Chocolaty brown. Lucky number: 55 CANCER: You find ways to express your creativity and emotion. Your personal interests are likely to be stagnant. This should be a pleasantly sociable day. Tarot message: At work, a setback would be followed by a rapid advance, so don’t worry. Lucky colour: Burgundy.
Lucky number: 49 LEO: Today a long cherished dream may come true. A date with your lover will at last come up. Do not try any short cuts as they may misfire. Keep in mind the likes and dislikes of your mate. Tarot message: Do not refuse offers without seeking someone else’s advice. Lucky colour: Sap green. Lucky number: 29 VIRGO: Youngsters should be capable of entertaining themselves and they will be happiest left to their own pleasures. Complicated family issues require attention. Tarot message: A dissatisfactory phase will need gentle handling rather than temperamental extremes. Lucky colour: Sky Blue. Lucky number: 44
LIBRA: Inception of new business venture is just on the cards. Minor jealousies are best addressed in the moment. Tonight, plan to indulge in something creative. Tensions will be easily forgotten. You tend to be lazy and laid back today. Tarot message: Feel free to change your mind. Lucky colour: Pink. Lucky number: 37 SCORPIO: A close friend needs delicate advice concerning strained relationships or unexpected emotional triangles. Past disappointments and old memories may now provide valuable social wisdom. Tarot message: If you insist on leading a fast life, you may aggravate your problems. Lucky colour: Maroon. Lucky number: 54 SAGITTARIUS: This is a strong time for shared enjoyment with family. Tonight review financial records for forgotten payments. Avoid acting as mediator and wait for obvious cues from loved ones. Tarot message: Trust your heart and intuition rather than confuse yourself. Lucky colour: Yellow. Lucky number: 61 CAPRICORN: Expect loved ones to propose new forms of entertainment or ask for greater involvement in your daily life. This is an excellent time to adopt new routines, foster friendships or develop unique hobbies. Tarot message: Do not get tied down by any promises. Lucky colour: Orange. Lucky number: 46 PISCES: You’re not undecided. Avoid new debt or excess spending. Loved ones may not fully understand your daily needs. Tonight rest and pamper your body. Minor muscle aches may be bothersome. Tarot message: Deal with one situation bat a time instead of getting into too many. Lucky colour: Sea green. Lucky number: 48
|
||||||||
|
The year ahead
If your birthday is April 30...
To ensure you take the best decisions, in this phase you must reflect calmly. Evaluate every single aspect of the situation. Observe and understand everything before taking any action. Health should be given priority than social life. Avoid any long-term investments and try to go out and spend some pleasant moments with your good friends. Love pangs will prevent sleep today. This is the right time to re-assess your strengths and your future plans. You want to take a more cautious approach to the amount of work you’re taking on but you’re reluctant to turn down good opportunities. A reality check is essential to gain control over your daily life. Success is possible if you prioritise and know precisely what you hope to achieve. You will feel angry with some irresponsible co-workers and this anger will affect your concentration levels. Those with an ascendant in Sagittarius will be interested in investments. They could even purchase a property. For students, this time is full of promise and if they genuinely work hard they will certainly rank in merit list in their forthcoming exams. Recreation is recommended as strongly as natural therapies and complete elimination of stress, causing confusion and dissatisfaction. Beware of big talkers. It’s easy for someone to talk a good story, but you’re interested in performance not promises. If you’re not believing what you’re hearing, trust it because your detector is working perfectly now. Mood: Excellent. Compatible signs: Taurus, and Cancer. Lucky colours: Aqua green and Pearl white. Lucky Days: Thursday and Friday. Lucky numbers: 9, 11, 15, 21, 22. Lucky gem: Yellow sapphire. Lucky flower:
Kirsten Dunst (Kirsten Caroline Dunst) was born on April 30, 1982 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, USA. When she was a child she was a model and had a contract with Ford. She attended the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, New Jersey but decided to quit in order of having an acting career. Roles in movies like Interview with the Vampire, The Virgin Suicides, Marie Antoinette and Bring It On made her famous as well as the role in the Spider-Man series.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Method
As we run through April the official ‘’Stress Awareness’’ month it’s a good time to consciously give ourselves a push for stress management. We just need to make a few simple changes in our lifestyle habits. Even one small change can impact our mental and emotional health immensely for years to come.
Priyanka Chopra
Sonam
Kapoor
Karan Johar 
Gaurav
Kapur
Ali Zafar
Bookish choice
Saurabh Raj Jain is currently enjoying play his negative role of Yuvraj in Uttran. Saurabh had previously played the role of Anand
in Colors’ show Parichay, and had died soon after the show was launched. He loves the grey shades in his role which vary from
negative to arrogant to vulnerable. Playing the pampered and spoilt brat is fun as it is the opposite of the dutiful Anand, he says.
ARIES: Do not overlook a chance meeting that may lead to future romance. Kick old habits and adopt a healthier life style with more time for meditation and relaxing.
Tarot message: Watch your
action at work and polish your public relation skills. Lucky colour: Mauve. Lucky number: 43
AQUARIUS: You will be focused and alert. Working with colleagues and gaining their support will lead to faster progress on assignments.
Seek the advice of those with more experience to get clarity. Tarot message: Don’t get in awkward situations.
Lucky colour: Aqua. Lucky number: 63
Orange rose.