Multiple choice
The ‘more the merrier’ mantra has become a staple in the Punjabi film industry. Is it the lack of true stars or dearth of good scripts that keeps Punjabi filmmakers from experimenting with solo star cast film?
Jasmine Singh

One, two, three, four, five….. We have no intention of sending you back to the nursery class to learn counting. This numerological sequence, however, is something that is suitably applicable to the Punjabi film industry. Just as they are step by step moving towards a high or a downfall (looking at the present scenario), is proportionate to the ratio they are step by step increasing the number of the star cast in their films.

The Punjabi film audience had the ‘more and merrier’ dose in the film Carry On Jatta with names like Gippy Grewal, Gurpreet Ghuggi, Mahie Gill, Jaswinder Bhalla, BN Sharma, Binnu Dhillon. Punjabi cinema saw a grand multi-starrer cast and thereafter like a Punjabi would do, every second film followed suit. The result were films with a multi-starrer cast that boasted of a battery of actors, sometimes 5-7 leading stars (and mind you, all actors are equally big in their own right). Now this trend is here, we ask the people from the industry to talk about the more the merrier scene.

Star vs character

Young Malang, the Punjabi film had Yuvraj Hans, Bali Riar, Vinaypal Buttar, Anjana Sukhani, Anita Kailey, Neetu Singh in the lead. Likewise Ishq Garaari has almost 5-7 stars in the film.

However, the director who set the multi-star cast trend in his films Mel Karaa De Rabba and Jinhey Mera Dil Luteya, Navniat Singh doesn’t call the recent trend as a mutli-star cast trend.

“I would call them multi-character films. When producers have a given budget, and when they cannot rope in stars, they fill the movie with many characters. Getting the big names in a film will classify it as multi-star cast.”

Navniat has a point when he says that more than stars it is the characters that fill up the Punjabi movies.

Director Amit Prasher, who brought in two stars in his film Main Tera 22 Tu Mera 22, Amrinder Gill and Yo Yo Honey Singh, would rather have an objective take on it. “Other than two or three actors like Gippy Grewal, Diljit Dosanjh and Amrinder Gill, we do not have stars who can pull off a film on their shoulders. Also, we see that new boys and girls are making their entry as actors in our films, accordingly we cushion them with an ensemble cast.”

Amit also feels that the scripts are also the reason because most scripts that they get these days are for an ensemble cast. “The day the new boys and girls become stars, we will boast of a multi-star release.”

Whether you look at them as stars or characters, the fact is that we have far too many of them in Punjabi films.

Solo act

Yuvraj Hans, who has worked in many multi-star films, zeroes down to the fact that the industry doesn’t have good filmmakers. “I believe that if we have good filmmakers, we will have solo hero hits as well. Other than Gippy or Diljit, we don’t have big stars. Multi-character films give a repetitive feel and this trend is taking Punjabi cinema on the wrong track.”

For Yuvraj, a film is about entertainment and not about how many stars it has. “If a director does justice to the story and screenplay, why do we need this trend?”

Ditto for Harish Verma, who has given multi-star cast and solo hits as well, gives preference to the script. “If we get good scripts then we don’t need stars. No one cares about script. Neither producers nor anyone else is bothered about the story.”

jasmine@tribunemail.com

Operation clean-up
You had joy, you had fun…& you had unlimited food too! Now is the time to get rid of the extra flab that you might have gained during the festive season
Mona

Having had a full go at the festivities, actor Jonita Doda is getting back to her normal routine. She’s spending an hour-and-half in the gym religiously. Carbs are off in the evenings and she controls her sweet cravings.

“I have had a blast. Right from Navratri to Diwali to Bhaiyadooj, I gorged on sweets, indulged in shopping and gave my fitness routine a miss,” says Jonita who is back to her hometown, Chandigarh.

An actor, she can’t go on like this forever, so she is back on to detox. “Workout is what I am taking religiously. I do weight training, cardio and kick boxing. I am a zumba fan too. I vary my workout patterns to keep away boredom,” says Jonita who is looking forward to resuming shoot of two Hindi movies and a Tamil one post her break.

Jonita Doda is back to her fitness regime
All set: Jonita Doda is back to her fitness regime

So, if you also had enough of gorging on food, ignoring sleep, dried hair and dull skin, we guess you will be interested in detox too. Here’s is how:

Body basics

To counter all the food indulgences, start your day with some lime juice in lukewarm water. Naturopath Betty Nangia shares her chatni recipe that works for skin, hair as well as immunity.

Take two tomatoes (or you can use four table spoons of hung curd instead), fresh cloves of garlic, ginger, one green chilly, two amlas, few leaves of palak and cucumber peels. Blend all these together, add salt and pepper according to taste. “You can spread this chatni on your sandwich or take along with main meals,” says Betty.

Hair & skin

If your skin has taken the strain of the hectic days, eating junk and no regular sleep, pay attention now. Start with exfoliating. Apply a pack according to the skin type and keep it moisturised as the winter is here. Betty shares one mask that works well for most skin types. “Take half a banana, add a tablespoon of honey and few drops of lemongrass essential oil. Your deep nourishing facemask is ready.”

If the constant shampooing has damaged your hair, here’s how you can restore them to health. Oiling once a week, steaming followed by shampooing and deep conditioning is a tried and tested trick. Betty gives you a quick hair spa, “Mix a ripe banana, and an egg in the hair oil you use. Apply this mask on your hair, cover with wet towel turban for 30 minutes followed by a head bath.”

Work it out

Exercise is the main component of any detox regime. You have to pick up a routine that interests you. Options are aplenty—right from walking to gymming to yoga.

“For starters I would recommend circuit training. It’s effective in losing weight. For increasing strength, sprints in cardio work the best,” says Suresh, instructor with Oxy Gym-10. If you want to do something in the confines of your home, Suresh vouches for Surya Namaskar. “Do three sets of 10-15 Surya Namaskars in the morning, and you are good to go.”

Where most people err while doing a workout is that they do not follow it up with a proper diet plan, believes Suresh. Here is his quick guide to diet, “Stick with green tea and lemon to start your day. Eggs, milk or fresh juice for breakfast; brown rice with curd for lunch; and soups, salads or mixed veggies for dinner.”

Breath easy

Not to miss — sleep well. Follow a pattern in eating and meditate. Start with focusing on breath. Happy detoxing….

mona@tribunemail.com

Shekhar Suman turns director!

Shekhar Suman
Shekhar Suman

Shekhar Suman, who made his acting debut opposite none other than Rekha in 'Utsav', will soon be making his directorial debut with a romantic medical thriller Heartless. He says that the film is quite close to his heart as it is dedicated to his elder son Aayush, who passed away at the young age of 11 due to a heart ailment.

Talking about the film, Suman said, "In some ways, Heartless has a slice of my heart in it. The film was a huge emotional experience for me to direct and act with my son Adhyayan for the first time. He is a very sensitive and an intense actor."

He explains, "The film is based on a never seen before phenomenon of 'anaesthesia awareness', a frightening state where in patients who are administered anaesthesia are conscious from within; they can see, hear and even experience pain while their body remains still"

Apart from Shekhar Suman and Adhyayan Suman, Heartless also stars Deepti Naval, Madan Jain and Om Puri in pivotal roles. The film is 
set to release on February 7. It has been shot entirely in Dubai.

fashion funda
Straight to the winter
Ashima Batish

Riddhi and Siddhi, the twin sister designer duo started their career by displaying their collection at the Lakme GenNext show. And they haven't looked back since. This season, they presented their collection that comprised short dresses, tunics, jackets and suits, which were well-received by buyers and fashion critics alike. Their label, Mapxencars, has become popular. They forecast fashion for the season.

What’s in: Volume is out; straight, fitted cuts are in. Instead of embroideries or embellishments, opt for subtle textured work. Even for men, straight-fitted jackets will be popular this season. Anything baggy shouldn't occupy space in your wardrobe. Keep it simple to look fashionable this winter. Let layers add to the volume and not the fabric.

Colours count: Brinjal is the colour of the season. Add a hint of mustard to it and you will be ready for the party. Fuschia will be another favourite. Try different hues of blue as well, though it's a colour staple to every winter. This time try electric shade of it. Even men should experiment with these off-beat colours and trust us, it won't be a mistake.

Dressed to the nines: Sonam Kapoor has revolutionised the way Bollywood dresses up. It looks like she can never go wrong with whatever she picks up. Also, she gives designers a lot of leverage to pick creations for her. Experimenting with clothes comes naturally to her.

Party fare: Since it is winter, you don't have to strictly go for black, brown or grey. Instead buy dresses with shimmery fabric and a minimal flair. Well-fitted clothes make for a better party wear any day.

Leading in design: Hussein Chalayan, the London- based Turkish designer, is known for the way he co-joins technology and fashion. In India, our favourite is Narender Kumar, for his designs and the fact that we trained under him.

On the Indian fashion industry: The Indian fashion industry is growing by leaps and bounds because people have started understanding the importance of dressing up well. They experiment, trust the designer's vision and want to be known as fashion conscious. We are making profits not just in India, also internationally. Besides creating the ethnic wear that Indian fashion designers are expert at, we are now being appreciated for making westerns.

Ashima@tribunemail.com

Wild imagination
Artist Anuradha Thakur is fascinated by Indian tribesmen and their culture
Amarjot Kaur

As Anuradha Thakur, a Maharashtra-based artist, exhibits her paintings at the Government Museum and Art Gallery, titled Realms of Ethnicity, she visits the roots of Indian culture and traditions, especially those of the tribesmen. The exhibition was organised in collaboration with the Department of Culture, UT Administration, Chandigarh.

Anuradha's sensitivity dwells upon the idea of simplicity, evokes the state of contentment which is inherent to the tribal traditions and culture. "Even when I was in college, I was actively involved with various NGOs and would often visit the tribal areas," begins Anuradha, who welcomes us with a warm smile. "While the first series that I painted were entirely in black and white, I graduated to using colours later. The reason perhaps lies in the way I interpreted the Gond tribe, which was the first that I painted. Their miserable lifestyle, due to dismal financial status reasoned their lack of taste in clothes and colours, which I could best translate on canvas with just about two shades-black and white," she says.

In most of her paintings, Anuradha uses black and white as the dominating colours, while leaving the brighter shades to the background. Her journey to the tribal areas of different parts of India, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Assam highlights the experiences and life of the tribes.

"I prefer travelling to different states and sketching the tribesmen instead of keeping to the studio. This allows me to capture the essence of their existence," she shares. In her series, one is acquainted with several traditional ceremonies that are sacrosanct to the tribes of various regions in India. She uses acrylic on canvas to paint the Rajasthani men and women and their colourful attire, the Bhil tribes of Jhabua, the Bihu dance of Assam and the colourful embroidered clothes of the Kutch. "In Jhabua, the tribes celebrate the Bhagoria festival, which is attended by thousands of teenage boys and girls, who are dressed to the hilt as they select their partners and eventually get married during Holi," she says.

On till November 13

Par Excellence
Correcting the pull
Jesse Grewal

The direction of the ball is dictated by many factors. These could be divided into two main categories - the pre-swing principles or static positions and the in-swing principles or dynamic factors. If the ball is ending up left of the target for right handed golfers, the following possibilities need to be checked and then corrected-

Pre-swing

The grip could be strong with either the left hand, right hand or both the hands. A strong grip is when three or more knuckles are visible of the left hand and the 'v' formed by either of the thumbs is pointing to the right of the right shoulder. This would shut the club face and cause a ball to hook.
The body is aligned to the left. This could be the shoulders as they are the most important line or the entire body which would be the stance (feet), arms and shoulders.
The ball position could be too far forward. This forward ball position could open the shoulders and make them point left, leading to pulled shots. The forward ball position could also lead to hooks as the club could have shut by the time of impact.

In-swing

The left wrist could be bowed at the top of the back swing causing the club face to shut and the ball hook.
The hands could release to early making the club face shut before impact.
The swing plane could be out to in. The club approaches the ball from the outside and then follows through to the left leading to pulled shots. This can be checked by seeing the direction of the divot. In this case the divot would be pointing left.
The impact with the ball is on the upswing and not on the downswing as it should be if it is with an iron. When the ball is hit on the upswing the club would tend to have shut and therefore the ball would go left. In this case the hands have flipped the club upwards and apart from going left the ball also goes very high and will lose distance.

Make a list of the factors mentioned above which you find in your swing. Correct the pre-swing ones first before working on the in-swing factors.

(Grewal has coached several national champions and professionals apart from being coach of the Indian golf team for the Eisenhower Cup (World Cup) in 2008. He is currently the Director of National Golf Academy of India and CGA Hero Honda Golf Academy. If you have any queries get in touch with him at parexcellence@tribunemail.com)

stress buster
Being happy
Renee Singh

Happiness can help melt away stress, so, it definitely is the most important thing to focus on. Happy people tend to live longer, enjoy better health and spread the good feeling around. We all need to make a special effort in this season to train our minds consciously on how to be happy. We need to participate in all the festivities and have the festive spirit buoyant in our hearts as an essential part of life.

Of course, we can celebrate life by doing anything that makes us happy, but making a special effort during the special time of the year does give us footage on the happiness front. It also gears our happy selves for the year ahead.

Happiness happens today

Find your own path to feeling happy. Create it for yourself. It is actually easy, you just have to try. Maintain one dimensional focus and it will happen.

According to a research by a Baylon University professor who is a pioneer in the field of ''Positive Psychology'' there are 16 areas of life that contribute to a person's happiness. He measures satisfaction in the areas that can help measure an overall level of happiness and satisfaction.

Interestingly most of the things that make us happy also relieve stress. Once we have discovered our own personal key to a stress relief situation and we learn to incorporate into our lives a general state of happiness then we make happiness a lifestyle habit.

In our analysis of happiness, we can list things we think we may need to make us happy. Ironically, science has shown that wanting expensive things makes us happier than actually buying them. Yet, we all have an ongoing happiness want list in our mind in our own hunt for that feeling.

Enjoy the simple pleasures

I feel that just doing simple things like lighting up the house, cleaning up and putting fresh flowers, incense and also just bursting a few crackers can give us a simple level of joy we really feel pleasurable about.

Allow the happy feel to flow

We have to be positive and allow the happy feeling to overwhelm us.

Participate in joyful activities

If there is a party, just go there and enjoy it, be it a wedding, a children's birthday party or any kind of celebration, just learn to celebrate with the crowd.

Since life itself is a celebration we have to learn to celebrate each and every moment. Stress tends to take over when we maintain a negative attitude. Celebrate consciously these created events and teach yourself to celebrate every way to make your life joyful and happy.

(Singh is Chandigarh-based psychotherapist)

Doc Talk
Face off
Dr Vikas Sharma

A thread lift is a good alternative to the invasive surgical procedures necessary to correct problems in sagging faces

Everyone experiences facial changes with age as the elastic and collagen fibers degenerate. The affected areas generally include the cheeks, the eyebrows and other areas around the eyes, the jowls and the neck. The result is distortion of smooth textures and sagging skin on the face. The changes are more pronounced or significant on the lower area of the face which is subjected to major movements during the life time like chewing, smiling and speech. Trying to reverse the change has been the major challenge for the dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons. Surgical lift for this area can provide scars and has disadvantages like a long downtime and high cost. Lately, special threads have come up to provide the necessary lift and thus produce the necessary transition. A thread lift may be a good alternative to the more invasive surgical procedures necessary to correct problems in sagging faces especially in lower jaw areas. Thread lifts emerged recently because many people would like a facelift, but can't afford it or don't want the long recovery time of the standard facelift. Thread lifts cost less and require less downtime for many people.

The thread lift provides an actual 'lift', and is a semi-invasive procedure. However, a lot of factors determine the final outcome in a thread lift.

Persons going for a thread lift should ideally be of age group 40-60 years.
Should not be suffering from medical disorders.
Should not be on any anticoagulant treatment.
The tissue must not be too heavy or too thin as the procedure needs enough fat for anchorage but not too much weight to support or lift.
The selection of thread should be proper having the necessary cogs and having a perfectly biocompatible inert material composite.
Consideration of facial muscle kinetics and dynamics of thread lifting is a must.
The topographic anatomy and physiology of facial muscles should be considered.

Complications

Per-operative hematoma.
Facial oedema.
Visibility of thread path.
Rarely inflammatory reaction and sepsis.

(Dr Sharma is a Chandigarh-based skin specialist)

star track
Dedh Ishqiya reveals seven stages of love

A still from Dedh Ishqiya
A still from Dedh Ishqiya

While Ishqiya was the story of a man Khaujan (Naseeruddin Shah) and his nephew Babban (Arshad Warsi) who while on the run from goons fall for a kidnapper's seductive widow (Vidya Balan), its sequel Dedh Ishqiya takes them through the seven stages of love … with the beautiful Madhuri Dixit as Begum Para and Huma Qureshi as Muniya.

Commenting on the seven stages of love film producer Mansi Maroo elaborates, “It is an interesting concept and has been beautifully portrayed too. Two of the characters played by Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi are having a conversation over a drink when Naseer Saab educates him about the seven stages which are dilkashi (attraction), uns (attachment), mohabbat (love), akidat (trust), ibadat (worship), junoon (madness) followed by maut (death).”

“Vishal Bhardwaj and Abhishek Chaubey have done a wonderful job while depicting these stages. Also, since Naseer Saab knows the language, it was easy for him to mouth those heavy-duty Urdu words. Arshad and others have worked brilliantly work on their dialogues,” she adds.

Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez walks the ramp at a fashion show of ABIL Pune Fashion Week on Sunday.
Ramp queen
Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez walks the ramp at a fashion show of ABIL Pune Fashion Week on Sunday. Photo: PTI

Taking it forward
Shiv Kumar

Basking in the success of Krrish 3 which is all set to break Rs 200 crore barrier, Hrithik Roshan is already looking ahead.

"I hope and I pray to god that the next film breaks our record. Go for Krrish 3 now and go for Dhoom 3 in sometime," Hrithik who featured in the hit Dhoom 2 said.

Speaking at the launch of a new collection of Rado watches, Hrithik who is its brand ambassador spoke of aspiring for the best. "Records, these are all facts and figures, which are essential to define the progress of cinema or any other mode of work. So it's not about breaking records, it's about being inspired by the previous records and then taking it forward," Hrithik said.

The actor also spoke of the time when his father Rakesh Roshan was going through a bad patch in his career. “There was a time in my life when at home there was not enough money for vegetables and I have seen my mom cry because she couldn't buy vegetables for the children...I have slept on the floor of my house because there was money to buy furniture...," Hrithik said. — TNS

Brave effort

Some Bollywood stars are known to go out of the way to accommodate their producers. We often hear such episodes of professionalism about Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. Joining the list now is the Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani actress Evelyn Sharma.

Recently, on her way to shoot for Divya Khosla Kumar’s Yaariyan in Guwahati, Evelyn’s flight was rerouted because of a bad storm, leaving her stranded alone with her luggage.

Shooting was scheduled for the next day and since she knew it’s a big hassle for any producer to reschedule location shoots, the actress decided to bravely take an overnight train from Guwahati to Siliguri to reach her sets on time.

“Luckily, God sent an angel in the form of one of the nicest persons I have ever met; to guide and guard me in my journey – from going to the railway station, arranging for a ticket on a completely booked train, guarding me for 10 hours on the journey, inviting me for lunch in Siliguri and safely dropping me to the car which brought me to the shoot in Sikkim,” a grateful Evelyn reveals, though concealing the name and gender of this ‘mystery person’.

“Without the timely help, I would have been lost in Guwahati, as my phone was dead and the flight personnel did not help at all,” she adds.

Needless to say, her entire film crew was highly impressed with Evelyn’s bravery of taking the train alone in the night, just to make sure she reached on time. Yaariyan is the directorial debut of T-Series’ head honcho Bhushan Kumar’s wife Divya Khosla Kumar.

Bobby Jasoos shoot postponed

Actress-producer Dia Mirza's mother has been advised to undergo an emergency heart surgery due to which the shooting of the former's produc- tion venture Bobby Jasoos has been postponed for a few days.

"Dia's mother has to undergo an urgent heart surgery due to which the schedule of Bobby Jasoos has been postponed by 11 days," read a statement on behalf of Dia's production banner Born Free Entertainment.

Bobby Jasoos is the second project under the banner which Dia co-owns with Sahil Sangha. The film stars Vidya Balan in the lead role.

"Dia and Sahil are very grateful that Vidya and the entire star cast and crew who have been supportive and accommodative. The surgery is scheduled for the middle of this week. The film will now commence Nov 25," she added.

Dia and Sahil's first production was the 2011 film Love Breakups Zindagi. — IANS

Selena misses old Justin Bieber

Pop star Selena Gomez is heartbroken after watching her ex-beau Justin Bieber womanising. A source told that Gomez, 21, just wishes he could go back to his old self.

"She misses Justin. He's not the same person she fell in love with and she feels sad for him because his ego is getting the best of him," the source said.

However, the 21-year-old singer is not looking forward to any reconciliation. — IANS

Strange connection

Actress Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes have reportedly become good friends and speak on the phone regularly.

Both are ex-wives of Hollywood star Tom Cruise and they reportedly enjoy gossiping with each other about their families and careers.

"They had a really nice conversation about what it was like being married to Tom and have stayed in touch ever since," a source said.

"They mostly chit chat about their kids and what's going on in their lives," the source added.

The source also said that the duo is also considering featuring in a movie together. — IANS

Record run
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge completes 14 years of continuous run at Maratha Mandir

Leaving behind the Dilip Kumar-Madhubala-starrer Mughal-E-Azam and Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay that ran for five years at Maratha Mandir and Minerva respectively, YRF’s Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ) has completed 14 years of continuous run. The film entered its 15th year last Tuesday at Maratha Mandir.

According to Maratha Mandir owner Manoj Desai, "The film completed 14 years in our cinema hall and we still get at least 60 to 70 per cent occupancy on weekdays and a houseful board on weekend and holidays. Whoever claims that it is not doing well can come and check our cinema hall.''

One of the main reasons why DDLJ still gets an audience has been the ticket pricing. While the Balcony tickets are priced at Rs 22, Dress circle for Rs 20 and stall tickets for Rs 18. The rentals are provided by YRF.

Incidentally, Sholay was the first film to celebrate its silver jubilee at over 100 theatres. When the film released on 15 August, 1975, the cinema hall (Minerva) did not open its current booking for nearly 75 weeks.

Strangely, not many of us know that Ashok Kumar's anti-hero film Kismet that released way back in 1943 ran for nearly three years in theatres in Mumbai and Kolkata.

chatter box
From the angle of a triangle
It might be a clichéd plot, but love triangles in television shows are a big hit. Here is a sneak peek...

Double trouble

After Zoya battled it out with Tanveer for Asad, now Ayaan has become an obstacle in their relationship. If the drama of staying apart wasn't enough, Ayaan and Humeriah too are apart due to Zoya. The double triangles in the story seem to be interesting.

The girl nextdoor

After marrying her bodyguard Raghu, Shivani is forced to live in his small house. Raghu's guilt over his neighbour Sumitra, who is now in love with him, will make for future track.

Dramatic appeal

The Jagdish, Ganga and Saanchi love triangle went on a high with the court drama and later Ganga exposed Saanchi in front of everyone. The suicide bid, the rushed wedding, the revelations in court made for engaging watch.

The plot thickens

Ankita is busy looking after her family and siblings. She also has a boyfriend. However, the entry of a brooding rich man indicates a new twist, not only in her life, but in the story too. Watch this interesting plot.

With or without you

Star-crossed lovers, Kumud and Saras, seem to be stuck with each other, yet are not with each other. With Kumud's husband Pramad being an interesting villain, given his multiple shades, he adds spice to the story.

A cop story

Jai Singh Rathod and his duty are inseparable, but he has two women in his life. One is his wife, who he is trying to save and the other is his colleague, Nikita, with whom he had an affair. He saved Nikita's life while pretending to kill her. Guess there is more than meets the eye in this story.

Television’s first Firangi Bahu

As more foreign nationals come to India, one is often prompted to ask, "Can a foreigner feel at home in India?" Sahara One will address this question through its brand new, lighthearted family show. The show will take viewers through the journey of a British girl, Camili Jonathan, who marries into the conservative Desai family in Rajkot, Gujarat.

The story starts with Pranay Desai (Rohit Bhardwaj), the youngest son of the Desai family, who is in London for higher studies and meets Camili Jonathan (Sippora). Slowly through her eyes, Pranay begins to see India, his own country, in a new light. He begins to admire things that he had overlooked over the years, despite being an Indian himself. In the process, Pranay falls in love with Camili's simple lifestyle and her perspective of India.

Aware of his conservative family background, he decides to marry Camili in London and returns to India. Sharad Raj, content and programming head, Sahara One, says, "This is the first time that a foreigner will be seen essaying the role of a bahu in a Hindi serial. Moreover, this provides sufficient scope for drama and lighter moments. Viewers will enjoy watching a European lady adapt to a conservative Gujarati family."

Firangi Bahu will introduce the Sippora Zoutewelle, a Dutch debutant actress, who will play the female lead in the show, which will feature an ensemble of seasoned actors like Indira Krishna, Pranoti Pradhan, Deepmala Parmar, Dilip Darbar, Hetal Puniwala, Paresh Bhatt and Rohit Bhardwaj.

Tune in to Firangi Bahu from Monday onwards, only on Sahara One at 7:30 pm.

“I will never flirt with Sangeeta”: Ruslaan

Ruslaan Mumtaz, who essays the male lead in Sony Entertainment Television's show, Kehta Hai Dil… Jee Le Zara that features a story of a younger man and older woman relationship, says that personally, he would never want to get into a relationship with a woman who is elder to him. "I don't think an older woman will ever fall for me. Even girls my age think that I am immature and I would have to work very hard to convince them, (as my character does in the show) of something that I don't want to do in real life," he says.

Ruslaan, who is single, began his acting career with the film MP3-Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar. "In any relationship, I think there needs to be a mutual respect between the couple,” he shares.

Astro turf
P Khurrana

ARIES: Take proper care of your diet. Love life will be exciting. Expectant women: go for a medical check-up. Singles could be on the lookout for a partner.
Tarot message: Do what is right and watch your best interests.
Lucky colour: Yellow
Magic number: 56

TAURUS: Personal relations will be neglected. Recognition and rewards are on the cards. Cine artists or players may be in the limelight. Be patient till things start moving in the desired direction.
Tarot message: Delays are the only obstacle in your way to success.
Lucky colour: Black
Magic number: 38

GEMINI: "Six of wands" will give you extra rewards. Try to keep your schedule varied and flexible. A female co-worker could be jealous of your achievements.
Tarot message: Empty promises are certain, so put your terms and conditions in writing.
Lucky colour: Red
Magic number: 40

CANCER: The "judgement" gives you strength and strong vision. Communication over legal matters, travel plans and education can be held up or postponed, which can cause undue stress.
Tarot message: Time will heal all wounds.
Lucky colour: Crimson
Magic number: 33

LEO: Today you will have difficulty in getting along with your associates. Work and professional responsibilities will demand time. Stop fretting, as the day will run according to its own schedule. Tarot message: Use careful judgment while handling issues involving property.
Lucky colour: Orange.
Magic number: 44

VIRGO: Health needs attention. Do not be in a hurry to get financial plans underway. Property dealers: you may find a tough encounter. Stay at home and relax with your lover tonight.
Tarot message: Plan your life to avoid delays.
Lucky colour: Beige
Magic number: 59

LIBRA: Agreement made today can be very valuable to you. Personal and business partnerships are blessed today. A meeting with your peers might introduce you to some very important people. Tarot message: You find within yourself a fountainhead of will power.
Lucky colour: Teal.
Magic number: 63

SCORPIO: The day starts with smile and cheers. Business affairs are under control. A romantic overture on your working day might give you plenty to think about while you go through the motions.
Tarot message: Take responsibility for your actions.
Lucky colour: Blue
Magic number: 26

SAGITTARIUS: Meeting new people will bring delightful opportunity for romance and flirtation. Get out and about early; activity and social interaction will do you a world of good.
Tarot message: You will prevent a lot of trouble by taking timely action. Lucky colour: Violet
Magic number: 54

CAPRICORN: Avoid speculation today. The married will enjoy a pleasantly romantic phase at home. Take proper care of your health. Put off dicey deals.
Tarot message: Don’t reveal your plans to your competitors.
Lucky colour: Rust
Magic number: 40

AQUARIUS: Younger member in the family may offer you a valuable advice. Defer a short journey. Get out and socialize. Today is a good day for romance.
Tarot message: Don't try to end the entire deadlock at one go.
Lucky colour: Grey
Magic number: 33

PISCES: Women: Don't use harsh words or speech. Heavy expenses may frustrate you. Beware of minor glitches, delays and postponement. See a nutritionist for a personal eating plan.
Tarot message: You gain by being practical, so don't be emotional.
Lucky colour: Green
Magic number: 48

The year ahead
Madan Gupta Spatu

If your birthday is November 12...

Being born on the 12, your intelligence is instinctive. Number 3 allows you to bounce back rapidly from setbacks, be it physical or mental. Jupiter makes you audacious, courteous, ambitious, dignified, and devoted to your work. You love music. A visit to distant pilgrimages, to attain mental peace, is on the cards. You will enjoy sound health but one of your aged family member's health may degrade and put you under immense stress. You will feel very enthusiastic about a nice offer. You need to be patient, confident and make use of your strong voice to get others to take notice of you. You may feel restlessness. You are prone to mistakes and poor judgment. Medical expenses are on the cards.

Positive colours: Purple and deep pink

Select days: Wednesday & Thursday

Favourable numbers: 5 and 6.

Gems recommended: Sardonyx and ruby.

Charity on birthday: Offer Sindhoor to idol of Hanuman ji or donate orange coloured fruits to the needy.

You share your birthday with Kader Khan (November 12,1937) who is a comedian, script writer and dialogue writer. He has acted in over 300 films, and has written dialogues for over 1,000 Indian films. Khan is said to be responsible for Amitabh Bachchan's success as a Bollywood icon. Khan will be in the pink of his health this year.





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