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Comical formula
He may not immediately strike a chord among the clutter of sitcom stand-up comedians, but he can sit back and revel in the fact that he has put a reasonable, if not significant amount of spotlight on Haryanvi dialect, clean humour, Hindi poetry and kavi sammelans. If the name Surendra Sharma, per se, doesn't ring a bell, the characteristic poker-face does!
The comparisons continue till he draws a line, "Comparing poetic humour to today's mimicry artists and stand-up comedians is like comparing classical dance to cabaret." In Chandigarh to host the Fortis' annual programme on the World Arthritis Day, he, while taking a dig at the doctors also, plays the true brand ambassador. Laughter — best medicine He takes over, looks around and jokes, "This is unfair, if only men ask me questions then am I supposed to just keep looking at and answering the men?" Listen a little carefully and the trademark accent as well as straight face has you chuckling, if not giggling. "The thing about these doctors is that they never tell you the truth. If a patient goes to a doctor for cough treatment and comes back with asthma medicine; next time he'd think twice before coughing." Adds the B.Com graduate from Sri Ram College of Commerce, "I remember having an accident and staying in bed for over four months due to hip replacement. Those days we did not have such facilities. This event is an after-care endeavour on the part of the hospital." Meanwhile, the programme aims at celebrating the transformation of its patients from a wheelchair to a free-wheelie, from crutches and walkers to free movement! Just in case anybody mistook the security in the city for Rahul Gandhi, "Rahul Gandhi thinks this security is for him. Back in time, even Rajiv Gandhi harboured the same misconception. All this security is for me." Telly tale Poetic humour was never a part of the mainstream although it was never far away. "The problem with today's television shows and humour is that they package bad content well." He adds, "I remember having been in talks for one such show but I dropped it after three days. Before every act there are hundred takes for reasons like your hair and make-up. I believe it is the content that makes people laugh and not anything else." Currently, it's the radio shows that keep the 69-year-old busy enough. "I have a show where people ask me questions and I answer them. I have about fifteen to twenty shows, which more than keep me occupied." There is no update on what to expect from the show. "It's a secret; let it unravel on its own, slowly all through the show." manpriya@tribunemail.com
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A mess called bureaucracy
The Durga Das Foundation in collaboration with The Tribune brings to the city Rahul da Cunha's theatrical production The Bureaucrat, which captures the predicament of the bureaucracy and the spots that they can sometimes get caught in. The play is reminiscent of recent times when public campaigns have been ignited by the youth through social media and there is a resultant buzz that gets the chatterati all excited and charged. The Bureaucrat is set in the year 2011. An aging bureaucrat is called in to salvage the nation's pride and stall a massive campaign that threatens to embarass the Indian Government as it hosts a prominent international dignitary — none other than France's Nicholas Sarkozy. The campaign titled, Kapra utaro middle classes challenges the corrupt mindset and demands action, failing which the protesters would shed clothes and join the nudity march, bang in the middle of the VVIP convoy. The panic-stricken government is watching the campaign spread like wildfire on Twitter et al and is forced to look for options to stall it. This includes reaching out to the retired bureaucrat who happens to be the father of the young man who is leading the campaign. The 135-minute production is laced with pungent dialogues, hilarious situational episodes and some great acting. It keeps the audience in splits as it creates an instant connect with the times we live in. A parody of sorts, a satire in many places but essentially a thinking man's production, The Bureaucrat combines the best of Yes Prime Minister and Aap ki Adalat, and promises to keep audiences engaged. The cast includes Bugs Bhargava Krishna, Jaswinder Singh, Neil Bhoopalam, Shivani Tanksale, Aseem Hattangady, Natasha Azad and Sukant Goel. Today at Tagore Theatre. (Entry by invitation only)
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Private versus public
As one of India's most high-profile celebrities, he has been the proverbial goldfish in the glass bowl for decades and is also an inveterate blogger. But no autobiographies for Amitabh Bachchan, who says firmly that some pockets of his life are off limits to the outside world and the blog is not a means to document his life. Amitabh, who turned 70 on Thursday, guards his privacy fiercely and says his blog is "just an interaction with people who are followers". "I don't write it (blog) because I want to document my life. I have never done that. All that I put on my blog is not necessarily all that I wish to share," Amitabh said in an interview.
"There are certain things that I don't want to share. There are certain remarks, opinions, which I think are personal and should remain so; I don't comment on that. It's just an interaction with people who are followers and who affectionately want to converse with me. It's not done with an idea to document my life," he added. Amitabh has been living the celeb life for four decades. He rose to dazzling stardom in the 1970s with hits like Zanjeer, Sholay and Deewar, then saw his health and career decline after an accident during the shooting of Coolie in 1982. In the 1990s, he tried to resurrect it with damp squibs like Lal Badshah and Sooryavansham. His tryst with the small screen as the host of Kaun Banega Crorepati helped him embark on another glorious journey, making him one of Bollywood's most enduring stars. Despite all this and much more, the man himself feels "there is nothing to document". "Secondly, if there is any documentation that needs to be done, it needs to be done in a much more professional manner. I don't know how to write an autobiography. "I will never be able to write one and I will never write one because I personally don't feel there is anything worth writing," said Amitabh, who never misses his date with his blog. His father Harivansh Rai Bachchan penned his autobiography, why can't he? "I am happy that my father wrote his autobiography and therefore I am able to gain whatever I could from his works, what happened prior to my existence and for a certain portion of my life when I did exist. But, other than that, the media has got more material than I have. Even though it may not have justifiable information, through this medium (blog) I am able to correct if there is any mistake or if there is a wrong representation," he said. — IANS
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Kher sees his Silver Lining(s)
Veteran actor Anupam Kher is on cloud nine these days, and he has every reason to feel that way. The actor’s latest Hollywood film Silver Linings Playbook will open the 14th Mumbai Film Festival which will be held from October 18-25. In an exclusive chat, Anupam talks about the film, his character, and more…
Tell us about the film and your role. It’s a great to have our film as the opening film at the prestigious Mumbai Film Festival. It’s an international film and I am honoured to be starring in a film alongside actors like Bradley Cooper, Robert Di Niro and Jennifer Lawrence. As an actor, it is a dream come true. I play Dr Patel who is Bradley Cooper's therapist and also a passionate Eagles fan. How was the response to your film at Toronto Film Festival? It was great. People loved it, critics loved it and everyone who saw was in praise for the film. Do you have plans of bringing Robert Di Niro to India for the promotions of the film? You see everyone is busy promoting the film at some corner of the world and continuously travelling. I am promoting the film here in India. But maybe later, I will invite him to come to India and show him around the country. Did you get any special appreciation for your character from your co stars? I had Robert De Niro walking up to me and telling me, “You were great. I cannot imagine anyone else but you playing Dr Patel. You are a friend now.” Coming from an actor like him, I think it’s a huge compliment for anyone. I read that you auditioned for the role over Skype. You’re active on Twitter too. It must be all quite different for someone like you who comes from the old school of cinema. I might have been working for over 33 years but I am not from the old school of cinema. I just keep myself updated with the world. The world is changing continuously and you have to adapt to the changes. I also have an acting school where I interact with many youngsters and keep reinventing myself. In fact, I have worked with many first time directors and it always helps as I am always learning something new. You have also signed a film with your son Sikander. Can you tell us about the film? I don’t think my director wants me to talk about it right now. But yes, I am doing a film with him. I am really excited about the project. You
have worked with known filmmakers like Woody Allen and Ang Lee. How was
the experience and how are they in person? I have always been a fan of them and to get an opportunity to work with me was like a dream come true. They are extremely talented, focused and humble. They are really friendly in person. What’s next for you? Well, I am looking forward to the release of Special Chabbis and Silver Linings Playbook. After that, I will see what comes my way.
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Ritu’s extravagant finale
Model-turned actress Esha Gupta, who walked as a showstopper for designer Ritu Kumar at the grand finale of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) spring-summer 2013, says that it’s great to be back on ramp from where she started her journey.
Dressed in black and gold asymmetrical lehangas, Esha says that the designer was the one who gave her the initial breaks in modelling so when she asked her to walk as a showstopper, she couldn’t say no. “I just adore her designs. I know Ritu aunty since my modelling days and I think she is absolutely fantastic with her designs. I remember, during my starting days, she only used to shoot with the big models. "Then she designed for my Miss International outfit and today I am here. We are always like family so there was no point of saying no to her call,” Esha said. The finale show was divided into two parts, first was of Label Ritu Kumar brand and second Ritu Kumar Couture. Both the segments recreated the magic and simplicity of art deco. The opening sequence of Label Ritu Kumar had showcased a heavy usage of motifs and moods of 1930s, 1940s and 1950s Spanish era with garments crafted to offer a modern representation. The show started with audio visual presentation of the research and idea that went into making the collection. From skirts, dresses and gown, the collection emphasised a lot on evening wear with fabrics varying from silks, chiffon, crepe and twill. The highpoint of the first part was when Ritu’s son Amrish Kumar posed in front of shutterbugs with female models walking by his side. The second half of the show started again with AV, but this time it has more of a Bollywood feel to it as the picture shown was of late actor Shammi Kapoor’s song Baar baar dekho. This was followed by dance number by four couples. Azeeb dastan hai yeh, Babuji dheere chalne to Ek Ldaki bheegi bhaagi si, Taqdeer se bigdi hui and Mera naam chin chin chu were some of the evergreen Bollywood tracks that were played while models showcased collection that was mix of heavy couture, including lehangas , saris, shararas and gowns. “The collection has lot of textures and prints with 35 outfits showcased in second half. Bollywood songs were important because the first half was the art deco of the 1930s, 40s and 50s of Europe, now India picked up very fast and we had our own art deco in the form of these films songs. Also I think the music went well with the clothing,” Ritu told reporters. The second half of the collection drew inspiration from the European influence on Indian royalty and this resulted in using rich laces, brocades, and embroideries. The design ended with a regal collection of gold, black and jeweled ensemble of the India in mid 20th century. — IANS
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Yummy options
Want to visit an Italian-style café for a slice of thin-crust pizza or a bite into a crisp falafel over a cup of coffee? Then the newly-opened Yum Factory on Malhar Road is just the place for you.
It is the second one to be launched in the country after Goa. The warmth of the open kitchen combined with freshly-baked pizzas from homemade sour dough tingles the appetite of many a foodie. The customised toppings cater to the individual taste. One can have a 'four seasons' pizza with grilled chicken, mushrooms, jalapenos and olives or a Pugliese with tomatoes, onion and parmesan cheese. Two young mothers, relishing the paneer exotic pizza with a cup of Mocha coffee with hazelnut flavour are all praise for it. Gaurav, a young executive gives the thumbs-up to the Yum Factory Special Pasta with broccoli and peppers in red sauce. "People in Ludhiana love authentic pizzas and pastas," says Teta Betista Manelli, the Italian chef of Yum Factory. Yum Factory specialises in homemade sauces as one could make out while tasting porcini pasta with Italian porcini mushrooms. The café offers a special range of Thai and Lebanese food which include all-time favourites like falafels, humus and pitas. Not to miss the couscous salad and Ceaser salads which are quite popular. For the diet-conscious, sugar-free drinks have quite a variety and raspberry ice and peach ice tea are refreshing and delicious. The owners of Yum Factory have added this coffee joint to their existing Yoghurt Factory on the ground floor and so after relishing the pizzas and pastas one can treat oneself to the yummy and healthy options of yoghurt in different exquisite flavours. (At Yum Factory, a full meal would cost ~300 per person)
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Sound of trouble
Simmi Waraich
First, it would be good if you reconsider letting your 13 year old boy ride the mobike in the village. The point is that if a child is allowed to overstep rules in one area, he will always look at other areas and try and test his limits there as well. Does he get distracted and does the sound stop when he is speaking or when his attention is caught by something else? It is important to maintain a normal routine for him with waking up early, exercising, studying etc. In addition, follow up is important in these cases to assess the family situation and to see if there is any enmeshment (over-involved parents, siding of a parent with a child, over-criticality etc). In this case, possibly, as a lot of Punjabi families with two daughters and a single son, the boy could be getting excessive attention. Often this happens unconsciously and is not deliberate on the part of parents. Often families find it hard to accept that there is no medical basis for the disorder and they rush from doctor to doctor. Family therapy is required in those cases. Should one ask someone who has said he or she wants to die whether they really want to or does it make things worse? — Mona, Chandigarh Suicide is rising rapidly, especially among 16-24 year olds, which is alarming. The commonest cause is depression. If someone has mentioned dying, asking about it helps. One feels better by talking about it and often people may speak out what they have been thinking. Any recent change in behaviour, any change in sleep or appetite, decreased social interaction etc are signs of depression and may be a sign that you need to ask — "Is all okay. Is there something I can do to help?" Look out for signs of depression and get it treated. (Waraich is a Chandigarh-based psychiatrist)
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Relaxation mode
The monotony
of the place, largely done up in brown, makes the interiors look more
interesting. And it is broken by the way the lighting has been done; no
jarring lights have been used, again to highlight the theme of the
lounge — “Relax and have fun”. It’s only light yellow lamps that
are aesthetically put in fabricated cages that add the colour element. The
joint also plans to clear this misconception attached to the term
lounge. “The ones we have in the city are clubs. For a change, let’s
stick to the actual meaning of the word — a place to relax,” says
Manish, which is conveyed through the candles used to light up the place
on which it is imprinted - “Calm and Serenity, Stillness and Repose……” ashima@tribunemail.com
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On FAST track
Manju Dewan The winter season brings festivities. And along with the celebrations come the need to cleanse oneself though fasting. All the eating joints these days give special fare to the foodies in the days of fasts. We too have brought you a Navratra special with all the goodness of the fruits and nuts.
2 bananas (chopped) 1 cup grapes (chopped) 1 cup papaya (chopped) 2 cups orange juice ½ cup sugar 2 tsp ghee 2 tbsp almond & cashew nuts Cherries to garnish Method 1. Mix together bananas, grapes, papaya, orange juice. 2. Bring it to boil and then simmer it till thick. Add sugar and mix well. 3. Add ghee and cook till it starts to separate from the fruits mixture. 4. Add almonds and cashew nuts and mix well. Remove from heat. 5. Garnish with cherries and serve. (Dewan is a Ludhiana-based culinary expert) — As told to Poonam Bindra
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Aiyaa
Producer: Anurag Kashyap, Guneet Monga Bhoot Returns Ram Gopal Verma’s, Ajay Devgn and Urmila Matondkar-starrer Bhoot was a hit in 2003. The film stars actress Manisha Koirala and JD Chakravarthy. This is RGV’s first 3D film, which is reportedly inspired by Oen Peli’s Paranormal Activities’series. Alyana Sharma and Madhushalini also star in this movie. Chittagong
Chittagong is based on a little-known incident that happened during the 1930’s where a handful of untrained, teenage boys and girls, led by a school teacher, defeated the British. The film stars Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Raj Kumar Yadav, among others. Makhi Telugu blockbuster film Eega releases today in Hindi as Makhi. The film stars Sudeep, Samantha Prabhu and Nani in the lead roles. Makhi is a live action-animation film that shows the revenge of a super-fly. — Dharam Pal
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Chit-chat with KJO
Karan Johar is back to basics, indulging in his all-time favorite passion for directing with his latest venture Student of The Year. This week on The Front Row With Anupama Chopra, Karan and his students were seen enjoying a fun tete-a-tete with Anupama about their latest film, which would hit the box-office on October 19. The conversation kick-started with Karan's students being asked about the expectations of being a Dharma product and they collectively commented, "The standards are very high in terms of everything, the costumes on the sets, the way you look, what you say and how you say it.” Further down the conversation they spoke about all the odds and hurdles they faced in order to become a 'star'. Starting from losing tonnes weight for Alia Bhatt to of course the regular acting classes! "The most difficult is to act," says Varun Dhawan who went to Pineapple Studios in London along with co-star Siddharth for dancing classes for a month.
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Astro Turf
ARIES: Chances for meeting a good companion are high. Couples can spend a delightful time in each other’s company, appreciating all the strengths of their relationship. A domestic servant can be a cause of worry. Tarot message:Don’t waste money by financing the trip yourself.
Lucky colour: Sea-green. TAURUS: If you are working, try to get special favour by 11.00 am. Good companionship relieves the heaviness of pending duties and responsibilities. Go to bed well in time. Tarot message: Empty promises are likely, therefore try to put your terms and conditions in
writing. Lucky colour: Rust. GEMINI: Put on your thinking cap. Changes made today will certainly be for the best. If your name starts with the alphabets A or M, love stars blaze. An engagement or marriage may be on the cards. Tarot message: Be honest with what you want. Lucky colour: Ebony. CANCER: You will be free to operate as you feel is right. Relatives will do all they can to help. Legal matters can encounter red-tape. Be patient as the system grinds through its process. Tarot message: Use common sense to put difficult ideas in place. Lucky colour: Ebony. LEO: Coming to angry words over personal differences will only be regretted. A run-in with an aggressive character can spoil the day. Steer clear of trouble and don’t react to provocation. Tarot message: Nobody has deliberately let you down. Lucky colour: Crimson. VIRGO: Health-wise, rest is needed otherwise fatigue will produce pessimism. Leave stress and worries behind. Artistic and cultural experiences such as a visit to galleries or museums will be satisfying. Tarot message: A positive and caring attitude heals old wounds. Lucky
colour: White. LIBRA: The ‘Knight of Wands’ promises a high-profile day. Those who genuinely like and appreciate you will be generous towards you. Give way to minor issues. This is not a period for taking risks. Tarot message: You’ll be able to reinforce your current position. Lucky
colour: Yellow. SCORPIO: Your card “the Fool” reveals deception, delays and unhealthy conditions in your profession. If a beautiful person grabs your attention, strike up a conversation and see where it leads. Tarot message: If you push hard to succeed, your efforts will pay off. Lucky
colour: Forest-green. SAGITTARIUS: You may have to check your plans. Improve your health by paying more attention to your diet. Today you should be able to surprise the boss by showing the adaptable side of your nature. Tarot message: Draw on your inner energies and begin moving from thought to action. Lucky colour: Orange. CAPRICORN: Parents will find that this is a good time for dealing with youngsters. Crazy suggestions for entertainment can intrigue, but may not work too well. A positive mood can quickly turn to negative vibes. Tarot message: Balance in all aspects is recommended. Lucky colour: Peach. AQUARIUS: Deal with all outstanding communication as certain people are waiting to hear from you. Respond to all those calls that have been waiting on phone. An early warning of a health problem will be a blessing in disguise. Tarot message: Do not swing away from the course. Lucky colour: Black. PISCES: Today, fear of loss of reputation or slander could grip you. Urgent demands on the domestic front need immediate attention. Tarot message: Your efforts will gain momentum if you listen to what experienced people have to say. Lucky colour: Saffron. |
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Our son is 13 years old. We have two daughters. Recently we put him in a hostel. Around two months back, he developed a strange "Uhhhmmmm" sound which is there in class, at home, in school and this is disturbing the teachers and the staff around him. We have shown him everywhere but there is no illness detected. His blood tests, X-ray and MRI brain are normal. He was a healthy boy at home, rode the motorcycle. We live in a village near
Gurdaspur. — Paramjit, Gurdaspur
The unpainted, Spartan walls quite surprisingly need no make-over.
There is a sense of completion despite the fact that Satva, the newly
opened lounge in Sector 26, is unlike the other lounges that have
exquisite interiors. The bricks and mortar left as it is highlight the
art element — the idea is to keep the look rustic or as the owner
Manish Goel says, “Natural”. He and his team have indeed succeeded
in doing that. “We realised that the more the natural elements, the
more soothing the result; thus the slate to cover the bar wall and the
rest is all done in bricks.”
There are comfy couches to confirm
that Satva is a lounge and well-equipped bar with top-of-the-line
spirits. And just to confirm the eating joint’s category once again
— there is no loud music or dance floor. “That’s not meant for
lounges. Loud music and dance floor are constituents of a club, lounges
on the other hand are meant for relaxation, enjoying time with friends
and family while sipping drinks or having great food.”
Fruit halwa
It's over, officially
Celeb splash