The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - The Tribune Lifestyle

Astro turf
P Khurrana

ARIES: The "Six of wands" brings a gracious and aesthetic influence in your life. You are likely to face several interruptions, which will make it difficult for you to stick to schedule.

Tarot message: Don't reveal your plans to your competitors.

Lucky colour: Brown.

Magic number: 27

TAURUS: The "Two of wands" invokes mental power to achieve professional goals. Work will sail smoothly and your colleagues will appreciate you.

Tarot message: Prevent trouble by taking quick and timely action.

Lucky colour: Deep-red.

Magic number: 35

GEMINI: The fiery "Knight of Wands" energises your creative abilities. Your innovative ideas and aspirations will gain recognition if you present them properly.

Tarot message: Don't reveal your plan of action to anyone.

Lucky colour: Peach.

Magic number: 27

CANCER: "The Ace of Pentacles" leads to actualisation of personal and professional plans today. You may be contemplating changes in your routine and it will be for the better.

Tarot message: Don't do anything at the cost of health.

Lucky colour: Jade.

Magic number: 29

LEO: "The Lovers" inspires you with love and creativity today. Romantic relationships will be intense. Minor issues can blow out of proportion, so take care of them.

Tarot message: Be honest and stay positive.

Lucky colour: Golden-yellow.

Magic number: 46

VIRGO: "The Magician" brings a day of change and mutation, whether you want it or not. Spending quiet time alone will help you relax and rejuvenate for the future.

Tarot message: You will receive a useful tip at the stock exchange. Lucky colour: Yellow.

Magic number: 44

LIBRA: "The Ace of Wands" puts you through a transforming personal experience. Control your emotions today. The day can be full of disruptions and interruptions, so be careful.

Tarot message: Stay focused on your goals.

Lucky colour: Sea-green.

Magic number: 26

SCORPIO: "The Priestess" infuses exalted influences in your life, which are beneficial. Networking and socialising with people who have similar career interests can lead to new opportunities.

Tarot message: Stay positive.

Lucky colour: White.

Magic number: 52

SAGITTARIUS: "The Wheel of Fortune" spins in good fortune today, so make the most of it. You will be unable to concentrate on tasks at work. Avoid making important business decisions.

Tarot message: Be confident and pro-active.

Lucky colour: Forest-green.

Magic number: 43

CAPRICORN: "The Strength" boosts your self-esteem. There can be some tensions with family members. Clear the air to create a better ground for love, trust and fulfilment.

Tarot message: Don't take hasty decisions.

Lucky colour: Deep-red.

Magic number: 41

AQUARIUS: Your card, "The Judgment" is reversed, so be careful to not let the public opinion go against you. Listen to your colleagues as they can help you with your plans.

Tarot message: Health needs attention.

Lucky colour: Bottle-green.

Magic number: 32

PISCES: This is not the right day to complete property deals. An offer to move up the corporate ladder is within your grasp. You may have to make a long journey, which will be successful.

Tarot message: Avoid situations that may turn nasty.

Lucky colour: Saffron.

Magic number: 28.

Chatter box
Rajshri’s historical date

Rajshri Thakur, who became a household name post her hit TV show Saat Phere, is back on the tube. She will be seen in Sony TV's historical show Maharana Pratap, playing the role of Maharana Pratap's mother. We catch up with her.

Why did you take a long break?

Saat Phere was a landmark and after having done that I didn't want to repeat myself. I was getting offers but they were in similar territory. While waiting for a good role, I came across Maharana Pratap. This period history drama fascinated me, so I chose to do it.

Many established faces are making a comeback on TV.

Yes, I guess people want to see good work and convincing performances. I knew when I returned it would be for a good show and here I am. Audiences want to be entertained and they are more than happy to see established actors.

You are working with two other actresses who will be playing the role of the other queens. Do you get along?

Yes, of course. I have known Aashka Goradia, who also plays a queen in the show, since a while now. We are friendly and our roles are distinct.

What do you think of the young Faisal Khan?

He is so good, talented and committed. Playing the lead role of Maharana Pratap isn't easy and he is working really hard. He has learnt a lot and is commendable with his dialogue delivery.

The outfits on the show are garnering quite a lot of attention. What's your take?

Yes, the makers have ensured that we have the best outfits, jewellery and costumes; everything is beautiful and also helps us get into the character.

Govinda rocks on stage

Spring in step: A still from the show India's Dancing Superstar

Owing to the intense competition that would determine the top twelve on the show with the first face-off, this week STAR Plus' India's Dancing Superstar saw some amazing performances on stage. Inspiring the contestants and taking their excitement higher was Bollywood's ultimate dancer Govinda, as a special guest on the show.

The talented actor made a grand entry on the show playing a double role and sizzled on the dance floor with a medley performance on some of his most popular tracks. The spontaneous dancer performed without any rehearsals and mesmerised the audiences. The contestants were overjoyed to welcome Govinda on the show. Chavat Boys along with other contestants planned a small surprise for their idol and dedicated a special performance for him on the song tumhe apna banane ki kasam in their slow motion dancing style.

Joining Govinda on stage were the three judges and anchors bringing some thumkas for the audience. When Govinda and Riteish — the duo best know for their comic timings — came together, they had the audiences in splits! Don't forget to catch the unlimited fun, masti and entertainment with Govinda on India's Dancing Superstar on June 1 at 8 pm only on Star Plus.

Dharmendra lights it up

Legendary hand: Dharmendra

It was a joyous day for Gokuldham Society because their favourite actor Dharmendra had visited the sets.

"I love him in the films. In real life too he is equally warm and sweet," says Dilip Joshi. Adds Disha Wakani, "It is so hot but he went ahead with all the scenes with a smile."

The team also celebrated Dilip Joshi's birthday by cutting a huge chocolate cake.

So there was Bhangra on the sets and a lot of merry-making, all Punjabi style. And did Daya do her trademark Garba in Bhangra style? Check this out in the coming episodes of the show.

Wrong accusation

Blame game: A still from the show Diya Aur Baati Hum

In the upcoming episode of Diya Aur Baati Hum, Sandhya gets upset as she's been accused wrongly of forcing Chavi to cheat in exams. Sooraj tries to pacify her and tells her to look for a solution. Sandhya decides to prove her innocence and finds a proof against Chavi.

Tackling a tiger!

In the popular show Veera, we will soon see how a tiger will disrupt the lives of the Veera and Ranvijay. Kapil, who plays Nihal, will be seen tackling the mighty animal. To ensure that he can do the shot perfectly, Kapil started by watching Life of Pi. — HRM

RIP Ritu Da

Remembering him as the torchbearer of new wave Bengali cinema, Bollywood and the Bengali film industry today joined in mourning the loss of the "great genius" Rituparno Ghosh, whose every frame spoke about cinematic beauty. The filmmaker's sudden demise triggered an outpouring of emotions from actors and directors with many taking to twitter to express their grief.

Veteran Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee said the news came as a great shock to him. "He was a great genius and the void left after his death cannot be easily filled," Chatterjee said. Actor Ajay Devgn, who worked with Ghosh in Raincoat, said his films delved with the unique subjects of the society. "Shocked and saddened to hear about Rituparno Ghosh's death. It was great working with him in Raincoat and his way of looking at things was so different and unique," Ajay posted on Twitter.

Fondly termed as Rituda, his film gave a new wave to the Bengali film industry. His films glorified women, their inner feelings, passion and sufferings. "Very very sad that the man whose every frame spoke of cinematic beauty and gave a new identity to New wave Bengali Cinema is no more. The last time we met we spoke of doing a project together. He wanted me to direct a story idea by him with him Madhuri and Nana Patekar," Onir posted on twitter.

Actress Bipasha Basu worked with him in Shob Charitro Kalponik and tweeted, "Landed in Coimbatore and got heartbreaking news! Ritu da has passed away! Don't want to believe it! I have such wonderful memories with him!"

"Deeply saddened and shocked by the sudden demise of Rituparno Ghosh. He directed Bariwali, first film I produced. Have amazing memories of him," posted Anupam Kher. Divya Dutta, who worked with the ace director in 'The last Lear', posted "Shocked to hear about Rituda! Not sinking in! Fondest memories of working with him in 'The last lear'! RIP." Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur posted, "Shocked by passing of Rituparno Ghosh. He was dreaming of getting into what he called his 'next phase'. Hugely creative explorer on film." — PTI

Fit and fair

Dharmendra is still as zesty as ever, even at 77! Nothing can bring him down and he happily talks about his home production Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 and life in general.

Yamla Pagla Deewana 2

Apne evoked an emotional response from the audience which is great because we are usually known for our action films. Then I told Sunny that we should make a comedy and so Yamla Pagla Deewana happened and people loved it. Now the second one is not a sequel or prequel. It is a new story but our characters are the same. This is a family project. Sunny's wife Pooja wrote the story and I even helped write some of the dialogues. It has been fun for all of us!

Traditional touch

In front of the camera, the three of us do crazy things but at home, I am their father and similarly, they are also fathers to their children. We are traditional and rooted in our values. I have calmed down with age but I will still quash anybody who tries to trample over my self- respect. Money, fancy cars and homes do not fascinate me. Happiness matters more.

Lessons learnt

I have given up alcohol now and I am no longer tempted by it as it robs one of true personality. I have learnt this with time. I take much better care of myself now. I feel free and strong.

Fitness funda

I take excellent care of myself. I do not eat fattening food. I have skimmed milk instead of whole milk. I work out by doing dips. I cycle everyday for forty minutes. I know how much my body can take now. I feel energised doing these things.

Daughter dearest

I am so happy that Esha is now happily married. I miss her but I talk to her everyday. Bharat is a great guy and they are content with each other. I am happy for them. I always wanted her to settle down.

Favourite films

My five favourite films from all the movies I have done are Chupke Chupke, Pratigya, Satyakam, Apne and Sholay but not in that order. I think we are still doing well as a production house today. People want to associate with us because we are honest.

Welcome sequel is on

Sonakshi Sinha started her filmy career under the guidance of her leading hero Salman Khan in the film Dabangg. The movie went on to become the biggest block bluster hit of the year and since then there has been no looking back for Sonakshi.

She went on to bag many more roles in various exciting Bollywood projects. She gave hits such as Rowdy Rathore and Dabangg 2.

Sonakshi is an established name in the tinsel town and according to the grapevine, she has replaced the glamorous diva Katrina Kaif in the sequel to the 2007 superhit film, Welcome.

The sequel to the movie Welcome is finally getting made. Shooting will start June this year. The sequel has been in the pipeline for a long time and finally it seems the director Anees Bazmee is all set to start shooting. The sequel is going to be named as Welcome Back.

However, this time around the khiladi Askshay Kumar is not going to take his role forward in the sequel. It seems that the cool hunk John Abraham is going to be the leading actor. Katrina Kaif was initially supposed to act in the sequel but now Sonakshi has replaced her.

The movie viewers will witness the onscreen pairing of John and Sonakshi for the first time.

Sonakshi has been seen so far with Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan. But this year she is already doing projects in which she will be paired with different heroes. In the upcoming movie Lootera, she will be seen romancing the hero Ranveer Singh and in the movie, Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Again she will be paired with Imran Khan. Katrina Kaif is not the only one to get replaced in the movie. Mallika Sherawat who appeared in the first part of Welcome, will be replaced by the newcomer Kainaat Arora in the sequel. Kainaat will be seen in a bold role. We are sure that she will turn up the heat in the movie halls by a few notches just like her predecessor whom she replaces.

GET PHYSICAL
The right composition
Anil Juneja

Body composition is an important determinant of your overall health. And if you want to lose weight then understanding this component becomes essential. Because when you say you want to lose weight, you actually mean that you want to, 'lose excess body fat'. So, there can be difference between losing weight and losing excess body fat. You can understand the difference by understanding the concept of body composition.

Understanding mass

Body composition is a technical term used to describe various components that make up the body weight. Mainly it's expressed as a ratio of lean mass to fatty mass. Lean mass includes muscle, bone, skin, internal organs and body water. Fatty mass is mostly composed of body fat as well as internal essential fat surrounding organs. Those with a higher proportion of lean mass to a lower proportion of body fat have a healthy body composition.

Cause & effect

A person with poor body composition can have negative physical and psychological effects. Having excess fat increases the risk of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and certain cancers. On the other hand, extremely low body fat can also lead to serious health problems. Because fat plays a key role in the immune, metabolic and reproductive system functions. The body uses fat for energy storage and to create a protective cushioning around organs. Body fat also contributes to temperature regulation and hormone production. So having too little or too much body fat can be unhealthy. So, it means for your body to function properly it is essential that your body contains a certain amount of fat. Women should have approximately 15 to 25 per cent body fat. Men should have approximately 10 to 18 per cent body fat. Advanced athletes, bodybuilders or sportsmen can have lower percentages.

Muscle vs fat

It is also important to understand that muscle weighs more than body fat so as you lose excess body fat and gain muscles; your total weight will increase as your body fat percentage decreases.

This implies that even though you weigh more, you'll actually be leaner and you'll also look thinner! So next time, don't make mistake of monitoring the results of your fitness regime just by stepping on the weighing scale. Because a weighing scale gives you your total weight, which consists of lean body mass and body fat. And the purpose of your weight loss programme should be lowering excess body fat instead of concentrating on simply "losing weight." So when you step on that scale, you won't have the clear picture that you lost muscle mass or body fat. Monitor your fat percentage to achieve healthy body composition.

— Juneja is a fitness expert

It’s rocking
Desi charm

The film, Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, has already created waves, courtsey Deepika and Ranbeer's on-screen pairing, and if that does not tickle your whims, then get ready for its brand new song that is infused with the desi flavour-Ghagra. Sung by Rekha Bhardwaj and Vishal Dadlani, Ghagra features Bollywood's dancing queen Madhuri Dixit with Ranbeer Kapoor. So this summer, get ready to dance to the tunes of Ghagra.

Desi beat

After Ek Do Teen, Madhuri is back as Mohini to sizzle on the screen and after seeing her I think that she qualifies as the modern Helen. She has the same nakhras and expressions that won the heart of millions. Moreover, the song is extremely amazing, the beats and the vocals. I have been dancing to the tunes of the song ever since I heard it.

Kanika Gupta, student

Lyrical appeal

I like the beginning of the song as it starts with a nice quote in a poetic tone. Also, the performance of Agra's lady dancer, Mohini (Madhuri Dixit), is splendid. However, I could not get my eyes off Ranbeer Kapoor as he does the Shammi Kapoor moves in the song. I like the lyrics of the song too, they are peppy and catchy.

Sugandha Mehta, student

Perfectly rhymed

The song patches a beautiful dance and is very catchy and peppy. The word Ghagra, which is the title of this dancing track, is used in the full song, so it stands justified. All the scenes of the song have used its title in the lyrics to connect it with the choreography of this song. So I think this song is a class apart.

Serene Batra, student

— As told to Amajot Kaur

Master Chef
Cool cut
Manju Dewan

There is nothing like a cool salad in this hot weather. Salads have taken a new hue with everybody experimenting with the sauces and ingredients. Let's try this one with plum sauce and peanuts

Ingredients

2 cups sprouted beans

½ cup roasted peanuts

2 tbsp olive oil

2 spring onions (chopped)

1 red bell pepper (chopped)

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp white vinegar

10 lettuce leaves

Salt to taste

For plum sauce:

2 plums (pureed)

4 tsp sugar

½ tbsp salt

½ tbsp cornflour

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add spring onions and red bell pepper and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Add soy sauce, vinegar and salt and mix well.

Add peanuts and sprouted beans.

Remove from the flame.

For plum sauce, mix all the ingredients well and bring it to the boil.

To serve, keep salad on the lettuce leaves and serve with plum sauce.

(Dewan is a Ludhiana-based culinary expert) — As told to Poonam Bindra

New releases
Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani

Producer: Karan Johar

Director: Ayan Mukherji

Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani has been produced by Dharma Productions and directed by Ayan Mukherji (Wake Up Sid fame). The buzz is that it is a tribute to Nasir Hussain, the maker of classic movies like Dil Deke Dekho and Hum Kisise Kum Nahin, among others. The movie is about four friends played by Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Aditya Roy Kapoor and Kalki Kocchlin. While the music has been composed by Pritam, the peppy numbers like Balam pichkari and Ghagra have been choreographed by Remo D' Souza and Farah Khan.

Film: Hangover Part III

Producer: Legendary Pictures

Director: Todd Philips

This week Hollywood's comedy film The Hangover III will also be released. Produced by Legendary Pictures, the movie is a sequel to 2011's The Hangover Part II and the buzz is that it is the final part of the Hangover film series. It stars Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifinakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha and Heather Graham. Craig Mazin and Todd Philips have penned the screenplay. The film's duration is one hour forty minutes. — Dharam Pal

Fresh take

The young actor Alia Bhatt talks about travelling, shopping, break-ups and more…

Holiday and home plans

I love Goa. I usually eat over there without worrying about calories and take lazy strolls on the beach. I sleep a lot. I am planning a trip for a while with my school friends. We have been the same gang and we stay in touch. I want to buy my own place and I have started saving up already. I have three cats at home that I adore and want to get a dog too when I move into my own place.

Love and marriage

I am a drama queen when I want to be and at other times I stay quiet. If I have heartbreak, I sit quietly and get over it and do not go howling all over the place. Now I am over those adolescent dramas. When I get married, I would like a small and quiet wedding, preferably out of town. I am too young for marriage right now.

Tech troubles

I am not technology savvy at all. Gizmos and gadgets freak me out instead of fascinating me. I can barely manage using the iPhone well. I use Instagram a lot because it is easy and one cannot go wrong with it.

Anurag Kashyap loves Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani!

Anurag Kashyap is all praise for Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone starrer Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani. He also praised Ayan Mukerji on Twitter after watching the film.

The 40-year-old filmmaker tweeted: "I love Wake up Sid so much and I never thought I would say this but I love Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani so much more.. I expected why the F&@£ Ayan has done this, I thought I am going to sleep but wow.. He really twisted every cliche and kicked a***.."

"I do not watch films for who is in it. But who has made it.. its always the director.. From DB (Shanghai) to Zoya (ZNMD), Imtiaz, Ayan, Vishal B are people I have been consistent about since the Days of PFC," he continued.

"Only difference between then and now is, I do not talk about films I don't like anymore. kind of pointless...," he added. But he didn't stop there. He further added: "I love good acting like anyone but I make my choice on the basis of who is directing. And the tweet was a response to all the mainstream films (Shanghai, ZNMD, Rockstar and YJHD) that I have praised on twitter."