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Brand new avatar
When a French beauty label picks you up from the B-town crowd and places you on the red carpet at Cannes, you've made a career out of being fashionable! She may not have rendered some roles perfectly, but Sonam Kapoor wonderfully settles into the image of a pin-up girl, daddy's darling…a fashionista.
Ranjhana happened at the right time and with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, she's finally learnt acting too. Sonam Kapoor has everything going for her, even the crowds that went berserk at Elante Mall in Chandigarh. Initial set-backs and recent success didn't alter her sense of style or that confident stride with which she marches into the Tommy Hilfiger store, greeting the media and doing justice to the role of a brand ambassador. So what comes first - fashion or films? "I love movies…I love fashion too. I think they both go hand-in-hand because Bollywood sets trends. I think I can be a master in two things, can't I?" Courtesy the image she's cultivated, conversations on fashion take precedence over films howsoever blended she believes them to be. "I think only Bollywood sets trends. Whether you talk about Sadhna haircut, or Aisha headbands; Nutan's high waisted trousers, Salman Khan belts." Surprisingly, what's amiss is her father Anil Kapoor's name! "I think my dad is the most fashionable in Bollywood because I dress him." If there's anybody other than her, it has be somebody hers! She adds, "I also like Kalki Koechlin's sense of style. She is what she is and doesn't follow trends." With a few points made and some critics shut, what she still needs to do is sustain the steep rise…all eyes on upcoming projects. "I have Khoobsorat coming up and an untitled film with Yash Raj Films." Then there's yet another platform — Anil Kapoor's adapted television drama series 24. "It depends. I'll be a part of it only if I like the role; I don't do favours to anybody." If nothing else falls in place, there's always fashion to revert to. "If at all I wrote a book, it wouldn't be on fashion. I'd write a fiction." If the dream run continues there could be many roles, including the one she would really like to play someday. "My dream role would be the character Rosy from the movie Guide. It was a grey character." Quite a switch from the simple characters she's essayed so far. "I don't think so that I have played only simple girl roles. I think Zoya was a very complex and complicated character." For the record A few years down the line while the fire has died down or it may have been denied down, the smoke refuses to settle. Tommy Hilfiger racist comments on the Oprah Winfrey show come resonating every time there's a mention of the brand. Would she even remotely be like to be associated with such a brand? "I think they were rumours or he was misquoted…the brand has always used models from every ethnicity." While we are at having the air cleared, there have been rumours on her upcoming Hollywood project or auditions for the same. "I have been auditioning for both Bollywood and Hollywood projects for four years now; the only thing is that I don't talk about it. My name was dragged by other people to create a controversy." The blunt questions invite an explicit disapproval. "Does anybody have any questions other than controversies? Any questions related to the brand?" We leave it at that. manpriya@tribunemail.com
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A dance, a passion
Once you have a resolve strong, everything else pales into insignificance. Rani Khanam, the first-ever graduate in her family, and kathak dancer in her community, is living a life that inspires many. In city, on Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi's invite to present Black & White, a performance that highlights the rights of Muslim women, the famed dancer, choreographer and recipient of many honours nationally and internationally, talks of living life on-the-edge.
How did you get initiated
into kathak? I was keen on dance and music right from childhood. I had the artistic sensibility that found the perfect outlet in kathak. Was it a journey fraught with challenges? It was. I was a career-oriented woman, which was not a norm in my community back then. Doing graduation, pursuing dance; people gave me strange looks. I would tie a duppata on my ghunghroos so that they didn't make noise as I did riyaaz during early mornings (it was time for prayers). I would hide the tabla and harmonium when people came to see me. All those around me discouraged me no end. How was Black & White conceived? There is a big divide on what's written and what's given to women. I along with three very able dancers and an accomplished team have worked on this production that aims at equality and justice for women in India. What are you working on next? I am enjoying Black & White at the moment. Islamic contribution towards Indian culture, especially kathak, is on next. mona@tribunemail.com
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Star kids who couldn’t shine
Not every star kid is as lucky or talented like Hrithik Roshan. We talk of star kids who could not make it in Bollywood. Tanishaa Mukherjee She cannot act and she looks bad too. Her only asset is her hair. After accompanying Kajol and mom Tanuja to many events, she will now be seen all by herself in the Bigg Boss house. She defied her family and entered the house. Uday Chopra He is only part of YRF movies and has become a producer for their Hollywood section now. He will be seen in Dhoom: 3 and has announced his retirement from acting. Thank God for small mercies.
Fardeen Khan He talks fondly of his wife Natasha who has been pregnant and it seems like the longest time. Fatherhood is on the cards for him. He is part of No Entry Mein Entry whenever that releases. Esha Deol She was last seen in her failed comeback vehicle Tell Me O Khudda and after that she married businessman Bharat Takhtani. We expect a pregnancy announcement soon. She has no movie in hand. Zayed Khan He is a good-looking chap and talks well too but he can barely act and lives in the illusion that he will become a superstar one day! His production venture Love Break Ups Zindagi flopped though it was quite alright. He will be seen next in Desi Magic.
Congratulations & celebrations
Former Miss World Diana Hayden got married to her boyfriend Collin Dick in Las Vegas. Collin, who hails from Vegas, has been working in Mumbai for an international NGO.
"It was a fairytale, three-day affair," says Diana. "We had a rehearsal dinner for our families. After dinner, we invited our guests to join us so that they could all meet and get to know each other before the wedding." There were four bridesmaids, four groomsmen, one flower girl and one page boy. Diana's wedding outfits, the bridesmaids' dresses and groomsmen's scarves and ties were made by designer Archana Kochhar. A friend of Collin got his license as an officiant to marry them. It was an intimate wedding with just 125 guests, and was held at the Las Vegas Country Club. The ceremony was followed by a five-course dinner and dancing. The couple is currently on their honeymoon in Italy.
Training ground
Raj Kumar Yadav is an actor who has always created a stir with his talent. Be it his debut movie, Love Sex Aur Dhoka, Ragini MMS, Talaash or recently released blockbuster Kai Po Che, he has always displayed his acting skills with a prowess.
For his upcoming film Shahid, directed by Hansal Mehta, Raj Kumar Yadav underwent a training of fifteen days on how to operate machine guns and mannerisms of a gunman. The movie is based on a true story of slain human rights activist and lawyer Shahid Azmi. Shahid traces the inspiring personal journey of a boy who spent some of his precious years in jail as he was wrongly imprisoned under anti-terrorism law. He didn't lose faith in the system and was released after seven years. He studied law thereafter to become an unlikely messiah for human rights.
Learn it with the legend
Veteran dance guru Pt Birju Maharaj will soon be seen giving kathak lessons on Madhuri Dixit's online dance academy. Madhuri who is a trained kathak dancer wanted to share this form of dance with everyone and requested her guru Pt Birju Maharaj to teach kathak at her online academy. As of now Pandit Ji will teach thumri. He will teach some footwork and abhinaya (expressions). Pandit Ji who recently choreographed Madhuri's dance in Dedh Ishqiya says, "I think it is an excellent initiative by Madhuri to teach various forms of dance on an online academy. I believe it will help a lot of people to learn and understand dance better." Dance with Madhuri brings you the dancing diva's popular dance numbers along with different style of dance like salsa, contemporary, jazz etc. A new addition to the academy is Dancercise — a combination of dance and workout which helps you stay fit while dancing - a format designed by Madhuri Dixit herself.
On a hit trail
Get well soon
Fitter Saif
Saif Ali Khan says that he has gotten fitter for Bullet Raja than what he was in Race 2. High fitness and agility levels were needed for his action scenes in Bullet Raja which is a physically demanding movie.
Bad times
Preity Zinta wrote a cheque to writer Abbas Tyrewala for the dialogues of Ishkq in Paris but the cheque bounced and Abbas filed a case against her. Preity is in debt following the debacle of the movie. God bless her!
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A private affair
Real life inspiration
Lost and found
This Saturday watch a show that might explain what happens to your lost luggage? HISTORY TV18 provides a glimpse of the very profitable business of bidding, buying and reselling unclaimed property. Baggage Battles is the series which follows auction specialists looking to make a profit by selling off lost and unclaimed personal property. Baggage Battles will air on September 21at 8:00 pm History TV18.
Spiritually inclined
No one messes with Shama!
Luck shines on Parul
Parul Chauhan who became popular with her show Bidaai now returns to TV with Punar Vivah 2. She talks about replacing Rubina Dilaik in the show, her career and apprehensions about joining a new team.
Why did you take up this role? Among the many offers that came my way Punar Vivaah was the most interesting one. Divya, my character has a pivotal role in the show. It is different look from what I have sported in my earlier serials, Bidaai and Pratha. I feel lucky to be a part the hit show Tell us about your new look. I get to wear lehengas which I simply love. I have fringes and long hair and would like to say it is a bit modern look. How was it with the team of the show? I felt like an outsider on the first day of the shoot. I was told later that other team members also felt the same. I am glad that within a few days of shoot, we had a scene where the whole family was needed and that helped me interact with everyone. We all sat together and chatted non-stop. Are you in touch with the actors from Bidaai? Not really. We are friends but as everyone is busy with their respective shows, we hardly get time to meet. We try to have a get-together once in a while. But we are in touch with each other over the phone. What are your hobbies? I like to cook, especially dishes that I can make from cook books. I also love to dance. I am a fun loving person so I chit-chat a lot on the sets.
Old world charmers
It was a historic moment on the sets of Kaun Banega Crorepati as Neetu Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan danced together for the first time on television. Neetu Kapoor along with Ranbir made an appearance on the show to promote their upcoming movie Besharam. Amitabh Bachchan was very excited to meet her actress of many films. Amitabh then recalled the days of shooting the song Saara zamana at the Kolkata stadium and how Neetu Kapoor panicked when a fight broke out. Neetu also revealed that putting lights on the costume was in fact AB's idea. Later Amitabh invited Neetu to dance with him and both grooved to the song Saara zamana much to the applause of the audience.
As soon as Neetu entered the stage, AB greeted her with a secret gesture by waving her hands. Ranbir who was standing beside his mother couldn't understand the secret signs and questioned AB about it. Bachchan revealed that this is the way they greet each other every time they meet and he cannot reveal anything else. All he said that this was something that happened in Rome when they were shooting Great Gambler.
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The year ahead
If your birthday is September 21...
The energy of 3 allows you to bounce back rapidly from setbacks - physical or mental. There is restlessness in your nature, but you seem to be able to portray an easy-going attitude. You have a natural ability to express yourself in public and you always make a very good impression. Jupiter is likely to add a good bit of vitality to your life. This birthday is good for implementing new plans or schemes. Some of you are likely to purchase a piece of land to construct your own office in the near future. Others might start construction work on the land that has been acquired earlier. Positive colours: Turquoise, Sea-green, Blue Select days: Sunday Wednesday and Friday Favourable numbers: 3, 5, 6, 9 Gems recommended: Emerald, Yellow sapphire and Ruby. Charity on birthday: Observe 'shradh' of departed souls and donate construction material in their memory.
You share your birthday with Kareena Kapoor Khan (September 21, 1980, Mumbai). She has won four awards for her performances in Refugee, Chameli, Dev and remain the most sought-after actresses in Bollywood.
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Astro turf
ARIES: The day can be somewhat tricky for relationships, so avoid getting into confrontations. Business people should plan meetings and important deals post lunch. Tarot message: Don't do anything at the cost of health. Time will heal all pains and wounds. Lucky
colour: Red. TAURUS: There will be changes in the work scene and these can have positive consequences for your career. Spending time with your spouse or partner in evening will bring you closer to one another. GEMINI: The stress and strain of work as well as relationships will catch up with you. You will have to consciously stop expressing your emotions in the wrong direction. Women: do not go in for ideal gossip. Tarot message: Don't waste an opportunity by being rash or impulsive. Lucky
colour: Sea-green. CANCER: Today you will be dominated by your past, especially your relationships with family or a situation at home. You can feel drained by the demands on your time and energy. LEO: The assignments at work will be more interesting than usual; however, there can be some ambiguity about certain projects that can lead to delays. So, ensure that you understand everything before commencing work. VIRGO: You will need to change the way you think, form opinions and react to situations. Even in personal relationships, let go off grudges and move forward. Socially, you will remain quite popular and busy. Tarot message: Time will heal all pains and wounds LIBRA: It is important that you remain calm and balanced since future growth will depend on your attitude. There can be some confusion at work. Change will be the keyword for the day and you will have to be flexible as well as adaptive. Tarot message: Be positive. Lucky
colour: Lotus-pink. SCORPIO: Relationships with loved ones will demand a lot out of you today; you will have to work hard at balancing home and professional lives. This is a good day for finalising property and financial deals. Tarot message: Do not be in the rush to spend extravagantly.Lucky
colour: Purple. SAGITTARIUS: Today many of you will connect with your inner self and be content with your life. Money matters will be stable although expenditure will be a little high.
Tarot message: Spend time meeting experienced people. CAPRICORN: Your confidence and energy will be on a high today; as a result you will be able to shine in everything that you do. By being expressive and dynamic, you will be able to influence people at work and also win new friends. Tarot message: Don't try to end all the deadlocks at one go. Lucky colour: Peach. Lucky number: 65 AQUARIUS: Most of you will be domineering, reckless and strong-willed at work as well as at home. This can lead to some difficulties in relationships and in achieving goals. Use your innate charm to win over people rather than brute force. Tarot message: Do not trivial problems haunt you. Lucky colour: Orange. Lucky number: 50 PISCES: Although the beginning of the day will seem strenuous and emotionally exhausting, you will be able to learn a great deal from it. Certain financial commitments will have to be reviewed. Tarot message: Capitalise on your strength and do not trust others. Lucky colour: Black |
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first-day-first show
The Lunchbox
Written and directed by Ritesh Batra and produced by Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap and Arun Rangachari, The Lunchbox, is an epistolary romantic film. It stars Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in lead roles. The film was screened at International Critics' Week at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and later won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award also known as Grand Rail d'Or. It was shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. The film set in Mumbai, revolves around a mistaken delivery in dabbawala (lunchbox service) of Mumbai, which leads to a relationship between an about to retire, Saajan, also a lonely widower and an unhappy housewife, Ila as they start exchanging notes through the daily lunchbox. Meeting via eating It's a wonderful film and I really like it. Perhaps it is the way that the story is presented by the meeting via eating concept that comes with the dabba business, or maybe it is Irfan Khan's acting that makes it all the more better. Suchait Arora, student Subtle but sweet The film is an absolute delight and it is such a refuge from the run-of-the-mill romantic stories. I really love it and it was such an overwhelming experience to work this business. I think everyone should watch it! Kanishk Sehgal, student Love and beyond I love the plot, especially the storyline of the film. It is extremely engaging and interesting. I really like the way the film has been presented and Irfan Khan is amazing in the movie. Nikita Vaishisht, student Phata Poster Nikhla Hero Phata Poster Nikla Hero is a Bollywood action comedy film starring Shahid Kapoor and Ileana D'Cruz in the lead roles. The film has been produced by Ramesh Taurani of Tips Music Films and directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, who earlier directed films like Ghayal (1990), Andaz Apna Apna (1994), Khakee (2004) and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009). Fair enough I like the film, but then it was not as good as expected. Shahid Kapoor and Illena did a wonderful job and even the jokes in the film were good. Vantika Sehajpal, student — As told to Amarjot Kaur
Punjabi scope
The combo pack, which includes popcorn, a soft drink and nachos comes for somewhere around Rs 305 at the theatre. Are you puzzled? Well this is the only piece of useful information that you would find before or while watching Young Malang.
Directed by Rajdeep Singh, Young Malang stars Yuvraj Hans, Vinaypal Buttar, Balli Riar, Neetu Singh, Anjana Sukhani, Anita Kailey and Balwinder Vicky. So many names—if only one of them could do anything in the name of acting! Young Malang is the story of some college students who are doing 'god-knows-what' in the entire movie. Will someone please ask the storywriter Manshendra Kailey what exactly did he want to say? The opening of the movie gives an illusion that something good is coming our way. But the director and the actors take only a minute to crush your hopes with their 'what-on-earth-are-they-trying' to say dialogues. The director Rajdeep Singh has left so many loose ends in the movie that the Titanic could have passed through it without getting hit! The story is disjointed to the hilt and nowhere does it come close to making any sense. Young Malang indeed has a young cast. You can clap for this achievement. Once things fail from the director's end, it is the actors who have to now handle the fort, which of course they did not bother at all about. What on earth was the director thinking while casting Yuvraj Hans as a NRI boy who doesn't look like one at all? Yuvraj is a promising actor who can do well if only the director makes use of him. As the NRI jazz, he is a total misfit. Moving to Vinaypal Buttar and Balli Riar, the other two heroes, the lesser said the better, Vinaypal could in the near future make a good comedian actor and Balli Riar, a something like Sanjay Dutt in Sadak, could be a better actor with loads of work. Now about the actresses; they flaunt some nice dresses, their pancake kissed faces look good; they giggle and rustle dollops of melodrama. Anjana Sukhani, Anita Kailey and Rhythm Arora, the three beauties, only just forgot to act! A word of advice - it is okay to look good in a movie and wear designer clothes, but what about acting? Who will be doing that? Not the producer for sure! Now all hopes were on chacha Raunki Ram—Balwinder Singh Vicky playing Professor Laathi. Please someone give the good old comedian some nice punches. The movie also has Bollywood actor Kiran Kumar in a blink-and-a-miss role as also Yograj Singh in a bombarding role. Young Malang has a handful of singer-actors, so music was not a problem and thankfully it was tolerable. jasmine@tribunemail.com
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