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Simply stated
On first impression, he comes across as a down-to-earth person. Ranveer Singh, in Chandigarh for the promotion of his upcoming movie
Ram Leela, lives up to every bit of it as he talks about the film, Deepika Padukone & much more…
"I just let it be," says the actor about his alleged affair with his co-star Deepika Padukone, who was in Chandigarh on Tuesday to promote his upcoming film Ram Leela. Of the two, dengue and ‘loveria’, he candidly admits, the latter is more dangerous. That's about it; he is keen on talking about his work in the film, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and his journey from being Bittu Sharma to Ram via Ricky Bahl and Lootera!
Side lines
We don't know if you should read between the lines, but before promoting the film Ranveer took to showering praises on his co-star Deepika Padukone — that she is wonderful to work with and extremely disciplined. Coming to the film, he says "Ram Leela will offer people what Bollywood is best at — action, romance and comedy. Add to that intensity of drama that Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known for. The film is about a boy who is the stud of a small town and falls in love with a girl who belongs to the family of his rivals."
Director's cut
He doesn't deny the fact that Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a tough taskmaster, in fact he goes on to quote Subash Chandra Bose's iconic line with some modifications, "Sanjay says give me your energy and I will guarantee you fame as well as success." Ranveer says working with Bhansali has been, "A volatile, creative process. There were days when I was so much sapped of energy that I didn't take off my make-up post the pack-up." On the other hand, being a part of his film comes with certain responsibilities, "You can't fail him because he works equally hard on the film. And he is known to bring out the best from the actors he has worked with." The emotional connect that Bhansali shares with this film is stronger than the earlier ones. He has used his mother's name, Leela, in the title of the film, "All the more reason that I strictly followed his directives."
Looks matter
It might look like 'just-take-off-the-shirt-act' but for Ranveer Singh to use his well-sculpted abs as an accessory meant rigorous workout in the gym and adhering to a strict diet. "Now that wasn't easy because I am a foodie." For his introductory song in the film, Ram Ji Ki Chal, Bhansali asked him to look like an object of desire —which meant minus the shirt. The film's promos give a hint about the steamy scenes, which is a staple in Bollywood now. "Whatever is depicted in the film is reflective of our society. That's how the youth of the country today is." His handle-bar moustache, which he is also sporting in the film, is already a hit. It's a trend triggered by him, which was picked and praised a lot. "It became a hit by fluke, but I am happy to be fashion icon now." As for his looks in the film, he says he went to Gujarat with his stylist, Maxima, to study how men dress up. And that's how Ram came into
being! ashima@tribunemail.com
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Act 1... perfect!
She begins with parallel cinema and the appreciation; the critical acclaim and recognition, all packed in with a film that could have easily been her tenth or come a decade into her career! Actor Nimrat Kaur is all geared up for life post The Lunchbox; for the rest she's still warming up. She laughs, "Giving interviews, getting attention; all this is new," and adds, "When you do a film like The Lunchbox, the amount of love that you get from people is humbling and heart-warming. It doesn't make you want to run back to your car. For me all this is new," she shares while in Chandigarh for the launch of a cookbook Served With Love.
Food story
Be it the Dairy Milk Silk advertisement or a film where food plays a focal point; culinary things somehow find their way into her scheme of things. There is no escaping the comparisons with the character she portrays. "I claim I'm fantastic. I do cook, I love to cook. I cook Indian, Italian and of late started with Thai, though I'm yet to perfect it." Then there are some things for the record. She laughs, "However, I'm not a neglected, loveless person in real life." The beginning
A sudden brush with limelight invites several curious queries, something she's pretty used to now. She shares, "I grew up at various places in Punjab, including Amritsar, courtesy my Army background. Since an early age I knew I wanted to make a profession out of performing. I began with a few advertisements, started performing on stage; did experimental plays." She has reached a point where it is about sustaining the right projects and performances. "I am reading some scripts but wouldn't want to divulge." Being different
However, what remains is mainstream success now. "I'd love to do a Kareena in Jab We Met." It's a careful selection aimed at image change, which will always be her endeavour, "I derive a vicarious pleasure out of acting. The fact that I wanted to be an actor means I wanted to be a different person each time. Given a chance I'd like to change everything with each character of mine. I am not who I play and routine is what I want to escape." She didn't begin her career with clichés, for one. manpriya@tribunemail.com
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All in a name!
The furore over a photographer calling Aishwarya Rai Bachchan by her first name initiates a debate on the ‘first name basis’ culture
William Shakespeare would have been more than glad to see and know how a name could flare up people, whip up controversies and actually lead to a debate. What's in a name— well, Mr Shakespeare just about everything here begins and ends with a name! Had this not been the case, Jaya Bachchan wouldn't have retaliated when a photographer called Aishwarya Rai Bachchan by her first name. She lashed out saying, "Kya Aishwarya Aishwarya bula rahe ho, tumhare class mein padhti thi kya? (Why are you calling her Aishwarya? Was she your classmate?)." Such a fuss over a name! We wonder if only celebrities and public figures have problems when they are addressed by certain names or nicknames or it is the overall scenario. Addressing someone by their first name, second name or nickname is a tricky thing; you might need an etiquette guide! According to an online survey, almost two-thirds of people hate being called by their first name, unless it is family or friends. They prefer being called Mr, Mrs or Miss. Aman Dhaliwal, actor, has most people calling him as Aman, whether they are known or unknown. "In fact, those who know me well call me Dhaliwal ji. It depends on what stature one has in society and also on the rapport that you share with the other person. Whenever I meet stars from my industry or even Bollywood, I address everyone as sir and mam. I hardly take names and nickname is a big no." At times, women object to being called as Mrs. Ms suits fine as it doesn't carry any assumption. Harbir Singh, a Mohali-based entrepreneur, found himself in a tight spot when he phoned a client and called her Mrs ABC. "She immediately flung back saying that she is divorced and that she prefers being addressed as Ms. It is a lesson learnt," he laughs, "I address every women as Ms; married or unmarried, I don't get into it." Most people also do not like being addressed by their nickname, especially in a formal setting. Branch banking head, north, HDFC, Govind Pandey, explains how most MNCs have the culture of addressing people with their first name. "This brings in a little bit of informal and at the same time professional air." Abhay Dewan, assistant vice-president, HDFC, who also prefers being addressed by his first name, shares his take, "This applies to senior or junior or anyone around. Only a few close friends would know my nickname." Looks like everything is in a name! jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Short and sweet
Kandla Nijhowne Diwali knocks at the door! We shop till we drop during the day, then out come the cards for "Teen-Patti" through the night, bringing us home, happy and satiated, irrespective of whether we were victorious or defeated! Festivals and food go hand in hand, so snacks and sweets get passed around as there were no tomorrow! Making sweets at home is not as formidable as it sounds. You are assured of a clean product, and it can be custom tailored to your personal requirement. You can play around with ideas and cook up something different from the run of the mill? You will also surely get applauded for making the effort! For quick sweets, khoya and condensed milk are your best friends, saving lots of time. I love a fresh, moist barfi so here is a quick recipe which is a take on it ! It's chocolatey, double layered and a sure hit with the kids! The best bit? It's homemade! The better bit? It's short and sweet, taking only 20 minutes! Chocolate barfi
Ingredients
Method
Note: Any nuts can be used as a garnish. I personally like the startling green of pistachio over the brown. (Nijhowne is a Chandigarh-based culinary expert)
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Step out
Thomas Cook offers various packages, which start from Rs 89,500 and
Most of us tend to undermine the relevance of planning when it comes to travelling, but Thomas Cook, integrated travel and travel related financial services company, offers not just travel solutions, but also sketches out the importance of organising your time and money when it comes to travelling. At their exclusive office in Sector 9, Chandigarh, we exchanged a rather interesting note that encompassed a series of travel trends, new travel destinations and managing finances. At our disposal was Jatinder Pal Singh, senior vice-president and head (sales and distribution), who acquainted us with all that Thomas Cook has to offer Plan a trip
"These days we have a lot of customers coming for honeymoon travels or destination wedding travels, since it's a wedding season. The idea behind organising ones tour is basically to manage time and money in an effective and efficient manner. On our end, we ensure that our customers travel at ease and for that we offer them some new and unusual destinations," says Jatinder. "We have various packages, including 2014 Europe travel packages which start from Rs 89,500 and go up to 3 lakh," he adds. Also, the recent offerings of the company include new travel destinations like Russia, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Budapest, Czechoslovakia, Middle-East, Australia, Africa and Indonesia. The company also offers package tours and customised holiday tours to various countries, including South American countries and Muscat.
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Astro turf
ARIES: The Priestess manifests material and emotional abundance with inner strength, maturity as well as communication skills. This is a good time to compete for a position of power.
Tarot message: Use your instinct to get into the top circle of power. Lucky colour: White. Magic number: 62 TAURUS: The card 'Magician' reveals your imagination can run wild now and you want to act out a strange desire. Promotions will be yours if you have acted professionally in times of crisis. Tarot message: Learn from pa st experience. Lucky colour: Green. Magic number: 42 GEMINI:
Your card 'The Princess of Cups' helps you maintain clarity and direction in complicated work situations. Study assignments that are due. Tarot message: Be articulate to prevent people from coming to their own conclusions. Lucky colour: Peach. Magic number: 46 CANCER: The 'Ace of Wands' strengthens and you will feel elated to see roses all the way. You can have quite a romantic adventure if you take time out to know your mate all over again. Tarot message: Try and accomplish long-term tasks. Lucky colour: Brown. Magic number: 26 LEO: 'The Knight of Pentacles' brings healing and attention to practical matters. You will need some help today. You must be willing to bend if you don't want to find yourself alone. Do not speculate. Tarot message: Take thing one at a time. Lucky colour: Forest green. Magic number: 47 VIRGO: 'The Knight of Swords' instigates you to be active and clever. The biggest plans require attention to the minutest details to turn them into reality. In fact, the higher you aim, the more precision is needed. Tarot message: Listen carefully to words of wisdom. Lucky colour: Pink. Magic number: 61
LIBRA: Mixing business with pleasure works well for you. Be careful about getting into disagreements with seniors. Plan a special romantic evening with your partner. Tarot message: You will receive a useful tip at the stock exchange. Lucky colour: Black. Magic number: 30 SCORPIO: Your card 'The Moon' reveals balance, perspective and clarity in
relationships. A frequent change of mood is likely. Further studies will help fine-tune your capabilities. Tarot message: Clear the past before starting afresh. Lucky colour: Burgundy. Magic number: 32 SAGITTARIUS: Do not put undue pressure on yourself to take on unwelcome tasks. Be willing to lie back and take a break. Indulge yourself in personal pleasures; like eating or sleeping. Tarot message: Balance and perspective will lead you out of problematic situations. Lucky colour: Brown. Magic number: 39 CAPRICORN: 'Three Wands' representing the Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh 'trinity' brings success in whatever you do today. You can be in a restless mood and loved ones can bear the brunt of your temper. Tarot message: Never fall for rash promises. Lucky colour: Yellow. Magic number: 35 AQUARIUS: A real buzz in the air upon waking up evokes fresh possibilities. Make initial moves to get the ball rolling in the right direction. Lot of activity at work can lead to additional responsibilities. Tarot message: Try an off-beat style of handling things. Lucky colour: Rust. Magic number: 54 PISCES: Your health and well-being are a priority. Set aside part of the weekly budget for whatever you need to ensure that you stay in top shape. A new approach to an old problem can be the solution. Tarot message: Function in a novel manner. Lucky colour: Crimson. Magic number: 43
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The year ahead
If your birthday is October 30...
Your birthday falls this year on the Rama Ekadshi, which bestows prosperity. Official travel can assume importance. Finances require control and refined analysis. Personal life can involve occasional disputes. You will have to deal with cough and cold; take care. Worries over daily matters are possible. To win, you should use neither aggression nor arrogance. You detest arguments and confrontations. However, you should not behave according to your mood swings. You should learn to control your attitude towards others. Do not bank upon uncertain investment plans. Positive colours: Yellow, Cream, Sea green, Purple and Red. Select days: Thursday, Friday and Tuesday. Favourable
numbers: 3, 6, 9 Gems recommended: Yellow Sapphire, Pearl and Ruby. Charity on birthday: Donate green fodder to animals, feed wet green 'moong' pulse to birds.
You share your birthday with Abhijeet Bhattacharya (October 30, 1958), who is a Bollywood singer. In the 1990s, Abhijeet became a playback singer and has sung in various films, including Yeh Dillagi, Anjaam, Raja Babu and Main Khiladi Tu Anari. He won the Filmfare Best Playback Singer Award for Yes Boss.
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Quiz time
Tough taskmaster
Last weekend, Salman Khan slammed Kushal Tandon for his behaviour with Tanishaa Mukherji after a task. Khan also spoke rudely with Gauhar Khan. Fans of the superstar didn't take kindly to it and reacted strongly against him on Twitter as well as other social networking sites, calling him unfair.
After the two hit it off in Bigg Boss house last year, Vishal Karwal and Karishma Kotak do not want to talk about their relationship. They were apparently approached for Nach Baliye but as they didn't want the focus to be their personal lives, they refused. Vishal is working on his film debut and Karishma too is focussed on movies.
A quiet affair: Vishal Karwal & Karishma Kotak
Shake a leg
Dance show Boogie Woogie will soon air on Sony and with the three judges Jaaved Jafferi, Ravi Behl and Naved Jaffrey in place, the makers are looking at Mahii Vij, Sargun Mehta and singer Shweta Pandit to host the show. With kids too participating in the show, Amruta Mukherjee aka little Pihu in Bade Achhe Lagte Hain and Rakshit Wahi aka Sunny Ahuja from Parvarish have been approached to co-host the show.
Bright future
Racing ahead: A still from Saraswatichandra
Pallavi Subhash, who was supposed to play the role of Amba, which eventually was acted by Ratan Rajput in Siddharth Tewary's Mahabharat, is back in the show. She will now be seen as Lord Krishna's wife Rukmini. Pallavi is looking forward to the stint.
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Bipasha, Harman are in love?
After playing hide and seek for months, Bipasha Basu finally stepped out with her rumoured beau Harman Baweja to party in style over the weekend.
The duo made an appearance at Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty's party held at Royalty in Bandra last weekend.
Bipasha, who has earlier made discreet appearances with Harman, yesterday stunned onlookers when she stepped out of her car and walked in with Harman together. She had no qualms in posing with him for the shutterbugs. Harman, on the other hand, looked equally at ease while posing with
Bipasha. A source says, "Bipasha and Harman looked extremely comfortable and happy and there was no attempt made at hiding anything." Looks like Bipasha has finally found her man after her tumultuous and much publicised break-up with John Abraham. For Harman too, this looks like the start of a new innings after things didn't work out well with Priyanka Chopra. We are hoping that an official announcement will soon be on its way and can only wish the awesome twosome good times ahead.
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I wish I could be myself: Miley Cyrus
Singer-actress Miley Cyrus hopes to have a normal life despite her worldwide fame. The Wrecking Ball hit maker said she does not seek attention and would love her records to be successful without any promotion, reported a publication. "The biggest misconception about me is that I like the media attention. I wish I could be who I am without the fame. If everyone would still buy my records and if everything would go to No 1 in 30 seconds or whatever... That'd be great," she said.
Cyrus also said that she does not put pressure on herself to be a role model for young fans. "I don't put pressure on myself to be a role model, other than hopefully inspiring people to be good and to treat people well. I'm going to be what I want and I'm going to do what I want. When people are suffocated, that's when they end up falling off," she added.
— PTI
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That's probably a personality trait of young actors, who unlike the 'forever-been-here-Khans' and others, don't get miffed by rumours — be it about their work or link-ups with co-actors. Not that they are ever-ready to talk about it but you don't see them giving clarifications or taking an offense to what people are talking about. At least it doesn't bother Ranveer Singh.
Recently, Aamir Khan met megastar Amitabh Bachchan on the sets of Kaun Banega Crorepati. He dropped by and the actors discussed Aamir's next release Dhoom 3. On the other hand, Kajol will appear on the show as a guest on Children's Day. Five-year-old Kautilya Pandit too will shoot for the show and the world will witness the magic of unbelievable memory.
Nothing personal!
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's grand production Saraswatichandra didn't work as well as expected when it launched eight months ago. But now with production changing hands, things are looking up. It has finally made it to the top ten rated shows and with Kumud's divorce drama continuing on the show, looks like it is all set to pick up pace. Perhaps veering from the novel worked for this serial!
Back in business