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Serious thought
The funny bone is getting some rest (read some). Punjabi cinema has stumbled over a chapter in history that has caught its fancy. From the jatt and his badla to the something more solid…'1984' is the year that is now doing the rounds.
After the controversy as well as hype around Sadda Haq and after the comedies getting a cold smirk, it is time to bring in something new. This is where the dark, the sensitive side of 1984 comes back into the limelight. Different take The first Punjabi film director to 'officially' explore the topic is Anurag Singh of the Jatt & Juliet brand fame. But for Anurag neither it is about finding something different nor a deliberate attempt. "I wanted to bring in something new, so I thought of making a film on 1984," he makes it clear. "My film 1984 is not about violence; it explores the relationship between a son and a mother in that period," adds Anurag, who feels a director can be fascinated by many topics, not necessarily comedy. Being sensitive The question is not just the phase in history that the Punjabi filmmakers are exploring; it is about sensitively handling this topic. Actor Aman Dhaliwal, currently shooting for Leather Life, a film set in 1984, says, "For how long can the audiences laugh over jokes; how long can we go on making comedies? 1984 is something we have all seen, heard and also lived. The only challenge is how filmmakers handle it." Filmmakers like Kapil Sharma, who in the process of making 47-84, feels you cannot deal with this topic lightly. "This movie is going to be a refreshing take on the journey of a child through the traumatic times of the India-Pakistan Partition and then when her life was heading to normalcy, the 1984 riots happened," he says. With filmmakers in Punjab turning their attention to this incident, many writers like Kirpal Dhillon, whose book Time Past Time Present Memoirs Of A Top Cop is being hand-picked by filmmakers of Punjab to be adapted in a film, sees this as an exercise wherein cinema can help youngsters in understanding the incident. "I wouldn't mind if a director makes a film on this, the only thing is it should be dealt with sensitively." Finding more The reasons for a tilt towards this topic are many. Nishawn Bhullar, who received critical acclaim for his role in Nabbar, lists some, "We have a small industry, so any new topic that is discussed floats around and finds many takers. Besides this people who feel strongly about this incident try and explore it through a film, which is not bad at all. Too much comedy is a small contributing
factor." jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Classical note
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." For any musician, it is critical that he relates with his music. As is the case with Anil Sagar, who was here to perform at the Surtaal Utsav, which was organised by the Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi at the Punjab Kala Bhawan on Wednesday. "I pursued my graduation in music, wherein I was trained in Indian classical — both vocal and instrumental," he says. Anil's interest in music was kindled during childhood and he started singing in school-level competitions, until he graduated to taking up music professionally. "I was interested in music since childhood and even in college, I would sing ghazals in the evenings at various functions and youth festivals, especially when I was pursuing my Masters in Law from Panjab University," he shares. Anil, who has performed across India including in Mumbai, Delhi, Orissa, Kolkata, and Kashmir, shares, "I was primarily into singing ghazals and folk music, but soon after being associated with the Art of Living and Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi, I took to singing devotional songs." He adds, "I have launched two albums; one being Hare Krishna that was produced under the banner of T-series while the other one was in Punjabi called Raat Chandani. Also, I have directed the music for Naughty Jatts and Jassi Dhaliwal's album, Sarkar." Anil, who sings in Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi, believes that the essence of music lies in its capacity to relate one to God. "I did Art of Living meditation course in 2007 and that inspired me to take up devotional singing. I take to singing traditional ghazals, Sufi ghazals by Shiv Kumar Batalvi, including Mainu tera and Mai ni mae. I also recite poetry by Sahir Ludhianvi, Faiz and Ghalib," he says. "Basically, Indian classical music is based on devotion and oneness with god. The basic aim is to reach god," he adds. While expressing his displeasure at the current music scene, he says, "The music scene is suffering at the hands of the digital download generation because these days the album culture has gone for a toss, especially with the YouTube coming up. In addition, the DJ culture and artists are just giving albums for YouTube." amarjot@tribunemail.com
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A tune of his own
There is a consensus on the music of Aashiqui 2. Everybody hums and loves it, equates melody and romance with it; refers to it as a benchmark to rate music of other films…but then we hear someone asking, "Will it be as evergreen as the music of Aashiqui, which happened more than two decades ago?" Singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya, who instead of feeling distressed for lack of work in Bollywood, is happy to be away from it and in his own zone.
Abhijeet is busy working on his album, which he says will have the kind of songs he is known to sing. "I am neither trying anything experimental nor changing my singing style. I will offer people what they expect from me and what they have loved about my singing since decades now," says the singer, who was recently heard in the track, Dil ka jo haal hain, from Besharam. When he is not recording in studios in Mumbai, Abhijeet is busy travelling and singing at concerts. While other might think that the influx of young singers has left the veterans with less work, Abhijeet believes that supply has created his brand value. "A song might become a hit but does the audience know the voice behind it? When I sing, people still recognise my voice. My albums still sells off the ramp in no time, especially in these times, when a song's life is no more than a week." Abhijeet says playback singing has ceased to exist in Bollywood because the producer of the film calls the shots, instead of music directors. "At least ten people are taken on board to sing a single track and then producer makes the final decision." He refuses to acknowledge the popularity of Honey Singh and even goes on to say, "I don't know who he is." So, where does Abhijeet see himself in what he terms as, "The conspiracy world against Bollywood music"? He answers, "I am happy not to sing Lungi dance, Tu mere agal bagal, saari ke faal sa…." He is bold to add, or rather a bit flambouyant, "I don't need Bollywood; I am an industry in myself." And it doesn't stop here, "I am a legend, given the quality of singers and songs we have in the films now." Since Honey Singh and Mika don't pass on his barometer of excellence, AR Rahman and his internationally acclaimed Jai Ho is put under the scanner as well, "It wasn't a very great song." His perceived poor quality of music in the industry is also due to the overuse of auto-tuners. As for the quality of his music, "It's something that makes people sit back and enjoy, not what forces them to hit the dance floor." A synonym for that is soulful music! ashima@tribunemail.com
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GET PHYSICAL Vishal Thukral
Top to toe Begin with standing toe touch. Keeping the legs together, bend from the waist, extending fingers towards the toes. The idea is to touch the toes, if not, reach as far as possible without hurting. With this exercise, muscles of the thighs and calves are getting stretched. The ultimate goal is to place your palms flat on the floor. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions. March past Just march standing in place, raising your legs as high as comfortably possible. March 50 paces in place. This routine helps tone muscles of the legs which are not often used. Butt naturally The butts and hamstrings are extremely important. Reverse lunges are one exercise which can be performed to tone up this area. Begin with legs keeping shoulder length apart. With one leg, take a big step backward and bend the knee of the other leg until the thigh is parallel to the floor, keeping the knee of the bending leg from floating too far over your toes. Keep the stomach tight and torso upright. From the bottom, drive through heel and rise until you are standing. Alternate legs and perform three to five sets of 12 to 15 repetitions. Muscle tone The quadriceps muscles give the legs their shape from the front. One basic exercise for shaping the quadriceps is the step up. Get a platform that is 3 to 6 inches high. Place right foot in the middle of step and step up as to balance the body for 1-2 seconds on the right leg. Make sure the left leg is behind your body to help stabilise the body weight as it is shifting. Step down with the left leg first and continue with the right. Perform two sets of 8-10 repetitions for each leg. Visible range Shapely calf muscles are important in completing the look of the leg. They are often the most visible part of the leg. So this is important for anyone who wants shapely legs. Calf raises can help to shape this area. Calf raises are performed by placing toes on a block and raising heels until calves are fully tensed, then slowly lowering heel until the calf is fully stretched. Perform 15 repetitions for three to five sets. Walk on Cardio is vital for shapely legs. Some cardio exercises like walking and stair climbing will also help to tone and harden thighs and butt. Running and biking are useful to help tone calves. Eat right Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fibre, fresh fruit and vegetables can help maintain good leg vein circulation and keep the heart healthy. (Thukral is a Chandigarh-based aerobics fitness trainer)
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A princess’ diary
Due to popular demand the Disney Princess Academy will return to India beginning January 5 to February 2. This year the academy will be even bigger with three additional cities added to the tour including, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Pune, Kolkata and Delhi.
The academy will give 3600 Princess hopefuls the opportunity to attend and be a part of fun-filled activities including makeover, dancing, etiquette training, tiara making and even a chance to meet their favourite Disney Princesses. Eight Lucky winners (one from each city) will also get a chance to be a star on Disney Channel. At the Disney Princess Academy, each participant will be groomed into real world princesses through a complete makeover and lessons in positive values such as compassion, intelligence, kindness and grace which the Disney Princesses personify the world over. Participants will also get a chance to be a part of art and craft session where they will learn to make their own tiara and take part in Dainty Dancing workshop.
— TNS
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CELEB POINT Divya Dutta
And then life happens. It forces you to grow. It takes you your way, your journey...your problems. What you leave behind is the innocence, those whispers with your friends. And yes, what you leave behind or rather what life makes you leave behind are those friends. Those who've known you for all your madness and stupidity and still love you. Those whom you hate for calling you by your pet names....yes those precious childhood friends, whose memories bring you a smile every time you think of them wherever you are. A few, very few remain in touch through the years. Some, thanks to the social media, reunite and some life makes you bump into...life which gives and takes things away for a reason. I am happy a few came back to my life. Life's taken us all very far, from where I and my other school friends boarded at the same time from Ludhiana junction. The destinations were different, the trains too....but life made us meet again in Mumbai. Two of my other dear friends I found are married here. One of them now is in New York. But we spent our girlie times together. Who cared who was an actor, who a top jewellery designer, who a banker or who a singer? We all met like right out of school. Not the same uniforms anymore. Nor the same syllabus of life and the lessons being learnt are different too. So are the teachers... What remains the same is the bond. That child-like innocence is still intact. That non judgmental acceptance. Those giggles, those murmurs about that guy who ignored us... This is a thank you note. Not to you friends because you don't say thanks to you friends. It’s a thank you note to life. When you take something away, you give something in return too. These gems of friends who make me feel precious, who love me for me. I am dying to whisper in your ears...well, thank you and I love you girls! (Dutta is a Bollywood actress)
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star track Here's looking at some of Bollywood's (in)famous marital break-ups:
What seem like perfect relations and marriages only end in heart ache and divorce. With their picture-perfect nature, celebrity relationships and marriages often play out like fairy-tale romances in our mind. However, reality is no fantasy. Even the seemingly steady, made-for-each-other pair can decide to call it quits. The shocking split of Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan and wife Sussanne owing to 'individual choices' is a heartbreaking reminder of these delicate, breakable bonds. Only recently filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and his discovery-turned-significant other, Kalki Koechlin reportedly decided to take a break from their two-year-old marriage. Aamir Khan and Reena Dutta
Reena Dutta with Ira Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh
Rhea Pillai stood like a pillar of strength by Sanjay Dutt's side when he was doing time in prison. When he came out, the two got married without any hullabaloo. Dutt's busy work schedule and Pillai's attachment to tennis star Leander Paes resulted in a bitter divorce settlement. Both Rhea and Dutt have remarried since (to Paes and Manyata, respectively).
Hardly one year after her marriage to Nepali businessman Samrat Dalal in a traditional ceremony, Manisha Koirala discovered that he is not the one for her. Unable to carry the burden of a depressing relationship, Koirala filed for divorce. Manisha was in news for her battle against cancer.
Clever strategy
People all over the world are looking for full and complete songs of Dhoom: 3 online as the makers have only released thirty second teasers. The search engines are recording too many of these searches. The makers are happy that their marketing strategy has worked.
Haute wheels for Mahie
December is a month of presents for Mahie Gill, as she celebrates her birthday on December 19. She starts with the countdown of presents by gifting a brand new Mercedes - GL class to herself.
"I am always excited to celebrate my birthday and I decided to present myself with a new pair of fancy wheels, I have booked the car and I am all set to drive it off on my birthday, all though I will be off to Goa for my birthday celebration with my friends and family after the delivery of my new car."
Yo Yo teams up with Gulzar
After rocking Bollywood charts throughout the year, Yo Yo Honey Singh is all set to hit back at his critics.
Buzz is that Honey recently recorded a song written by noted lyricist Gulzar. This unique collaboration for a special song in Abhishek Choubey's Dedh Ishqiya was planned and perpetrated by the film's producer and music composer Vishal Bhardwaj. A source informs, "Honey keeps receiving offers to do film songs all the time. So when he received a call from Vishal Bhardwaj, he thought it was a prank, especially when he was told it was for song written by Gulzar saab. Considering his reputation in the music industry, Honey could not believe that he was going to do a song with someone like Gulzar." After verifying the truth of the offer, Honey set aside all his other commitments and rushed to Mumbai to meet Vishal. The song is titled Horn Okay Please and it would be filmed on Arshad Warsi's character of Babban in Dedh Ishqiya. "Vishal wanted Honey Singh to sing in the Delhi-UP accent that Arshad sports in Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya. Vishal did a scratch recording with him and was impressed by him. Later, Vishal worked more on the composition and did a second recording with him. Now, he wants to do a third version of the song," adds the source.
Pankaj congratulates Shahid!
Pankaj Kapoor, who saw Shahid Kapoor get his infectious smile back on his face as his film R..Rajkumar recorded a very good Box Office opening, has had an extremely emotional weekend.
Pankaj had reached out to Shahid and was the first one to celebrate the success of R…Rajkumar. The veteran actor was often heard saying that Shahid only needs a good film and he would bounce back in a big way. Pankaj had always believed in Shahid's potential and strongly felt that it would be recognised and would be applauded for the talent he has. Now, it seems that luck has smiled upon the actor. His hard work has come through. Shahid, with the success of R…Rajkumar has bounced back and how. His film has recorded a very good weekend and held fabulously during the week. The film has performed wonderfully across the mass belts and across India. He is the only young star to try a mass film like this and garner audience acceptance. Audiences in the single screens have been whistling and cheering Shahid's performance and dance. He surely has won a new fan base as his audience was till now largely coming from multiplexes. The actor has generated a whole new fan-base for himself with the audiences loving and accepting him in this whole new avatar. The actor is currently working on Vishal Bhardwaj's Haider opposite Shraddha Kapoor.
The original Bullet girl
Shraddha Kapoor's biker girl look in Mohit Suri's forthcoming Villain has been in the news. Shraddha took extensive training to master bike riding and while shooting in Goa even took Mohit to the set on a bike. Few know that Suri was inspired by his actress wife Udita Goswami.
Mohit confirmed and said, "My characters always have an edge or something unusual about them. I wanted to introduce Shraddha differently in the film. Ten years back, I was shooting Zeher with Udita. We were put up in a small boutique hotel in Goa. Those days we didn't have major budgets. She borrowed a Bullet belonging to a hotel worker and rode it. I had never seen her like that. I decided that this was the girl I wanted to be with. So that's where I got the idea of Shraddha's character of a wanderer." Villain is under production and is expected to release in mid-2014. It also stars Sidharth Malhotra and Riteish Deshmukh.
Bips’ new venture
Bipasha Basu is looking forward to entering the hospitality business. She is looking for a place in the suburbs and business partners. The restaurant will be a multi-cuisine fine-dining one with many signature dishes. It will materialise in the second half of 2014.
Win-win situation
Sonakshi Sinha is on a new health regime to lose weight naturally and in the best manner possible--without starving. She is already looking slimmer and receiving compliments.
Celebrations begin
Deepika Padukone will bring in the New Year at her luxurious home with her family members who will also be around for her birthday on January 5. She has not been able to spend time with her family due to her busy schedule.
Kareena’s loss, Deepika’s gain
Deepika Padukone is likely to replace Kareena Kapoor Khan in Shuddhi. She is currently going through the script. We think that she will lap it up as Karan Johar himself has approached her.
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chatter box
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world and home to five per cent of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than eighty per cent are found only there. New species are still being discovered every year; hence conservationists are currently placing Madagascar as a top priority. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, Animal Planet's mini-series Madagascar paints the definitive portrait of this truly remarkable island continent. Madagascar is country that has never been filmed in such detail before. It's one of the few places left on Earth where there are still wildlife mysteries. Animal Planet brings the weird and wonderful, the beautiful and unique qualities of this island to Indian television screens for the first time.
Spring in step
Sara Khan and her boyfriend Paras Chabra will be part of a dance reality show Nach Baliye. They will enter the show as a wild card entry. She became a household name post her hit show Bidaai; later the controversial marriage and divorce on Bigg Boss 5. Sara is excited and looking forward to being on the show!
The big leap
Do Dil...Ek Jaan will take a leap of 22 years and Antara and Raghu, played by Nikita Sharma and Ayaz Ahmed, will die. Kanwar Dhillon and Shritama Mukherjee will be the new leads. Kanwar of Na Bole Tum... Na Maine Kuch Kaha Season 2 fame will be Raghu and Antara's son Vidhaan with Shritama playing Satya's daughter.
Shoot at site!
With Sandhya (Deepika Singh) of Star Plus' Diya Aur Baati Hum going for IPS training soon, the makers are planning to shoot at a real location. They have zeroed-in on places like Hyderabad, Dehradun and Karnal, but will soon finalise one location.
B’day bash
Ali Mercchant celebrated his birthday recently with a party at his friend's place. His friends from the TV world Nandish Sandhu, Jatin Shah and Arjun Bijlani joined in the revelry. He received loads of gifts too.
Food bonhomie
It was a gastronomic delight for the star cast of Desh ki Beti Nandini as Suhasini Mulya (Andika) organised a pot-lunch for everyone. She invited the entire team to her place for an afternoon of culinary delights.
Aparna (Uttra) bought tasty mali paneer, Vishal (Rajveer's uncle Vikhayat) got appetising chicken, Sawroopa made tempting jeera rice and Tanvi (Rajveer's sister Divya) treated everyone with the mouth-watering brownies. Sujatha Sehgal decorated the dining table with salads and last but not the least, Raafi Malik (Rajveer) bought yummy ice-cream. "In such a short span I have got attached to the entire cast and treat them as a part of my family. I had the best time with all of them and they made it very memorable for me," said an excited Suhasini.
Fire scare
After Housewife Hai Sab Jaanti Hai and Comedy Nights with Kapil, now there was a big fire on the sets of SAB TV's FIR! No one was hurt as the fire was doused in time. Now things are getting back to normal and shooting has been resumed.
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Astro turf
ARIES: You can bring dreams back into focus with the added benefit of your age and wisdom. You will be in the mood to meet people from different walks of life. Avoid drinks in the evening party.
Tarot message: Prevent a lot of trouble by taking timely action. Lucky colour:
Fushia. Magic number: 46
TAURUS: Indulging in idle talk and gossip with the neighbors will not satisfy you. Students should give plenty of time for academics. You can feel a bit scruffy and careless in the evening.
Tarot message: Do not be in the rush to spend extravagantly Lucky colour: Crimson.
Magic number: 58 GEMINI: Beware; someone will back-stab you. It is a very good time to meet government officials. The health of your child needs attention. You are likely to have a lot a fun at work.
Tarot message: Don't reveal your plans to your competitors. Lucky colour:
Metallic-grey. Magic number: 31 CANCER: Do not become easily ruffled. Your personal and public life is likely to clash in the evening. Women: do not argue over silly matters. A desire to beautify your house is strong. Tarot message: Feel good about yourself and prepare yourself for a mental battle.
Lucky colour: Bottle-green. Magic number: 63 LEO: You have achieved most of your short-term objectives today. Associates will be helpful. You will find the atmosphere at work congenial to make good progress. Tarot message: You will encounter some difficulties regarding finances.
Lucky Colour: Yellow. Magic number: 27 VIRGO: Your resources can be boosted. It is a good time to look at the real estate. Whatever you set your mind on, you can achieve now. Turn to a member of your family if you need advice.
Tarot message: Take one step at a time and avoid being overanxious. Lucky
colour: Ebony. Magic number: 36
LIBRA: Your card 'Two of Pentacles' shines on love and money. Stick to your schedule. Your conscience is likely to be pricked. Don't be close-minded about anything.
Tarot message: Do not fall for rash promises. Lucky colour: Orange. Magic number: 44 SCORPIO: There is a promise of better things in the offing. It is simply up to you to get hold of opportunities and make them yours. Be alert; an excellent time lies ahead. Tarot message: Do as many courses as you can to get ahead of others.
Lucky colour: Sea-green. Magic number: 51 SAGITTARIUS: Your emotions can over-ride your good judgement in some situations. Problems for factory workers are indicated. You can be misreading the actions of loved ones. Your diet needs more attention. Tarot message: Take things one at a time.
Lucky colour: Deep-red. Magic number: 65 CAPRICORN: It is not a favourable day for setting out on a long journey. There are apt to be delays. Old patients: take complete rest. Lovers: a romantic evening lies ahead. Tarot message: Be articulate to prevent people from coming to their own conclusions.
Lucky colour: Purple. Magic number: 52 AQUARIUS: Good company is likely today. Women: focus on a balanced diet. A pet animal need attention. Teenage girls will be at their charming best. A Libra friend will be supportive.
Tarot message: Try to accomplish long-term tasks. Lucky colour: Peach. Magic number: 32 PISCES: This is not the right day for completing property deals. Get your priorities right. An offer to move up the corporate ladder will be within your grasp. A long journey will be successful.
Tarot message: Avoid situations that can turn nasty. Lucky colour: Saffron.
Magic number: 28
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The year ahead
If your birthday is December 19...
Despite expenses, 2014 is good for finances. Birthday is going to be your lucky day in the coming year. With a bit of care, you will make it a fine year at the work front. There will be significant expenses on the medical front for your close ones. Career is fine. This period goes smoothly and you'll be able to afford to buy yourself something nice. This will make you feel real good. Travel plans can take an unexpected backseat; thanks to a surprise visitor. Never mind, this person is bound to bring you lots of joy and happiness. Apply for a flat or land in February or May on the dates 1,10,19,28 or Sundays. Positive colours: Golden, Chocolate, White. Select days: Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday. Favourable numbers: All numbers having their sum as 1. Gems recommended: Ruby
You share your birthday with Iman Ali (December 19, 1980, Lahore), who is a popular Pakistan-based model and actress. Fashion critics rate her among the top models of Pakistan and her future in the industry is bright.
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Kush, a film by Shubhashish Bhutiani, is among the Oscar hopefuls. It is based on 1984 riots and how a school-teacher tries to protect a Sikh student. "I had heard about the story and I always wanted to explore it," says Bhutiani. The filmmaker researched on 1984 well; talking to people, studying every aspect before taking it up. 
Given a choice people would rather work out their upper body. Some people think strength only means upper body. Due to sedentary factors, thigh gets a little too flabby. To get shapely legs, perform exercises that will build and tone up muscles and follow a cardio routine and diet to lean out legs. This will not only help to look better, it will also improve health by increasing core strength.
Good old school days....good old friends....uniforms... tiffin boxes, books....sab ek jaisa. Same grievances against the syllabus and the strict teachers and that guy from the other class who would ignore us...sab ek jaisa... Innocent lives, innocent friendships, innocent problems.....
Aamir and Reena were 18 and 20, respectively, when they began seeing other. He kept his marital status a secret for a while so that it wouldn't affect his upcoming career. Its revelation didn't affect his fan-following and went on to become parents to two kids, Junaid and Ira. The end of their solid 16-year-old marriage came as a shock to everyone. Reena continues to share a cordial relationship with her ex-husband.
Regardless of a 12 year age difference, Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh tied the knot in a top secret ceremony. The odd couple appeared very much in love even after a decade of matrimony and two children, Sara and Ibrahim. Saif Ali Khan outgrew the relationship and began seeing Italian model Rozza Catalano on the sly. True or not, the Omkara actor did fall in love again with Kareena Kapoor and they got married last year.
Sanjay Dutt and Rhea Pillai
Manisha Koirala and Samrat Dalal
Viewers discover an amazing collection of wildlife, many of which have never before been filmed - cyanide-eating lemurs, cannibalistic frogs, meat-eating plants, cryptic leaf-tailed geckos, tadpole-eating wasps, tunnel-digging chameleons and house-proud flycatchers. Much of Madagascar's extraordinary wildlife is under threat - from hunting and loss of habitat - and none more so than in the south of the island. Sir David Attenborough said, "We are still unravelling the mysteries of Madagascar's wildlife. How tragic it would be to lose it before we've even understood it." Lying just off the coast of Africa, Madagascar is a land of misty mountains, tropical rainforests and weird spiny desert scrub. The great mystery of Madagascar is its unique and varied flora and fauna — a diversity of life that makes even the famed Galapagos Islands fade into insignificance by comparison. What is it that makes Madagascar so different from the rest of the world? To find out, watch Madagascar, every night at 10 pm from December 23 to 27, only on Animal Planet. — HRM
Charity on birthday: Donate religious books, besan, uniforms or yellow items.