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Politically correct
Dressed in a bright Punjabi suit, hair neatly combed back in a plait; a smile fixed on her lips, Soha Ali Khan, surprisingly, without an entourage of bouncers, heads for the stage. In tow, walks the actor who can be unassuming to the T. Vir Das in a black jacket and denims takes the seat next to her. The rest of the team, including the director Shivaji Lotan Patil, producer, Harry Sachdeva, Dreams Productions Pvt Ltd and co-actors Vineet Sharma, Deep Raj Rana are seated accordingly. Each one of them is soon going to share the emotional and touching story that they are living everyday. It has drained them, it has touched them and it has taught them a lesson or two, but it has also left them umpteen things to talk about. Finding time in between the shooting of Jaane Kyun, the star cast of the film came down to Chandigarh to share excerpts from their journey so far.
Based on an incident from the life of a married couple who were caught in the 1984 riots, the film stars Soha and Vir Dass in the lead roles. This is indeed a challenging film for both of them.
Real thrill If she had a choice, she could sleep for 14 hours a day, which clearly she is not! Binging on Punjabi food and papita (that she makes a point to mention), Soha Ali Khan explains her closeness to Punjab. "I am a Pataudi; my place is in Haryana, which is close to Punjab. So, practically I am a Punjabi," she says. You are requested to not delve into the geography of what she said; the actress is far more intelligent than what you hear her say. About the film for which she has been shooting for virtually every night, Soha is excited. She plays a 'sardarni' in the film. "Yes, I had to learn some Punjabi for the same. It is a beautiful character, Tejinder, which I play; emotional and still thrilling." Well, this is undoubtedly her word, her genre - thriller. "That's my favourite genre; I love thrillers, they keep me on the edge and they are not boring." For someone known to make some 'different' choices, Jaane Kyun doesn't come as a surprise. "When I heard the story, I realised it is not a history lesson. In fact, it is small story of entertainment, a political thriller that I liked." Apart from her unusual choices of films, it is her social work that makes her add quality to her life. "I am doing a lot of work in the field of girl education; I know I am well placed in terms of good education and I'd want the same for other girls as well." Spoken like a true hero! "Yes I am a hero in my upcoming film. In fact, the script is the real hero," she says.
Balanced role jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Corridors of fashion
The last time she came to Punjab was for a wedding ceremony of a friend that turned into a tragedy. It gives her goose bumps as she recalls how an innocent girl became the scapegoat of a family feud. "The next day when it hit the newspapers, it was referred to as the Ludhiana acid attack," says former Miss India Universe Ushoshi Sen Gupta. The episode opened her eyes to the evils in our society and more importantly, to the fact that Miss India is certainly not the representative of modern, young women of India. It changed her perspective towards life; now if you ask her what's on her wish-list, it is neither Bollywood nor the Bengali film industry. "I would rather love to fight elections, be in the government to bring about change," she beams
In Chandigarh, along with Navneet Kaur Dhillon, former Miss India World Sangeeta Khanayat, a TV actress and Akshi Khari, a model, she will walk the ramp at Anukama, a fashion show, to present creations designed by students of Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology. Besides former Miss India, Ushoshi introduces herself as an entrepreneur, who curates art shows back home in Kolkata. She isn't your quintessential beauty queen with flawless complexion and doe eyes. "People think that because I am dark; I wouldn't be able to enter Bollywood easily but the fact is I don't aim to be there. However, there are ample examples to counter the claim, beginning with Sushmita Sen to Kajol to Lara Dutta." The industry, she believes, values talent; the only exception being foreign imports, who are doing well for their pink and peaches complexion! Since the pageant that she won is handled by Sushmita Sen, the actress also makes for her idol. "The way she is bringing up two girls single-handedly is incredible, especially in a male dominated society." Ushoshi acknowledges the fact that it's been a while since Indian beauties have brought a crown home. "What cricket is to us, Miss Venezuela is to people of Venezuela; the day we will have the same passion, we will begin to repeat history." She finds it illogical to allude to examples of Lara Dutta, Aishwarya Rai and Diana Hayden to explain how there has been a drought of international pageant winners in India. "That was 14 years back, it means that we haven't changed our approach and are sticking to the same parameters of judging contestants. It also means that we don't understand what actually the jury of pageants look for in the winning contestant." She hopes that contestants at least get six months to prepare.
Comfort zone Navneet Kaur Dhillon
After becoming Miss India last year, there were two career choices — either Navneet Kaur Dhillon could have opted for modelling or Bollywood. She chose the latter. "I felt comfortable in front of the camera," says the beautiful girl, who can't stop praising her mentor Marc Robinson. "He turned me around. Even now I seek his advice before taking up anything new." So, it was he who gave her a go-ahead when she got an offer for her debut film. "I have started shooting for the film and hopefully it will be a worthwhile beginning." (At the Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh, on June 4) ashima@tribunemail.com
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High design(s)
Swati Prabhakar, a costume designer who has found favour with Pollywood at a very young age. She has just wrapped up an assignment wherein she was the chief designer for the movie Mukhtiar Chadha. "Working as a designer and a stylist for the likes of Diljit Dosanjh, Yashpal and Kiran Juneja was a great learning experience," she says. With the movie slated to be released in October, this graduate from INIFD, Ludhiana, is looking towards Bollywood now for further projects. Presently she is busy working for a special trousseau collection.
Swati began her journey as an assistant costume designer with the movie Desi Munde. "For me, it was an exciting and enriching experience to work with the likes of Raza Murad, Bunty Garewal, Gurleen Chopra and Parikshit Sahni," she says. As for her training, Swati has worked under some big names, including Rohit Bal and Varun Bahl. After honing her skills, she got the opportunity to design for Avtar Gill, Kader Khan and television Artiste Daksh Ajit Singh. Swati has also launched her own production house under the brand name of Khwateen Hazrat. "One has to study the screenplay and understand the characters before designing any costume. For the forthcoming movie Mukhtiar Chadha, I have designed a t-shirt for Diljit Dosanj, which will have chips that reflect light."
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Being a woman
Perhaps, the gravity of concern associated with women and their issues finds much justification in a quote by Joseph Conrad, which reads — "Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men. However, while maintaining an objective view, in the prevailing scenario, one would rather spare their precipitous judgement of causes, which led to the depravity in the status of women, over the significance of addressing them. It is thereby mandatory and critical to speak out, which will only be the first step towards change.
In their honest attempt to provide a platform to the unheard and, most often, forcibly silenced and suppressed voices of women as well as their issues, Chandigarh-based marketing professional Piyoosha Sharma and Haryana-based social activist Suneeta Dhariwal have launched a first-of-its-kind online channel, WTV India. "The basic idea behind coming up with this online channel was to provide to the women, across India and abroad, a platform where they can talk about their problems and issues," says Suneeta, who has been working for the development of women in villages for over 20 years now. She informs that though she was always fascinated with the power of media, she was chained in the shackles of stereotypical trends, which marked several notions regarding working women. It mainly implied that only the women of financially weaker sections of the society work at offices or the ones from the Marxist bourgeois, who while away their time in the name of professionalism. "It was therefore more feasible for me to take to social activism and work towards bettering the status of women," she says while adding that in the last 20 years, she has heard stories of sufferings of women and now she aims to bring them on to a social portal. Shares Piyoosha Sharma, "We will engage experts from all over the country such as mediapersons, doctors and lawyers, who will provide professional guidance to these women. Although it's a non-profit organisation, the efforts put in by all the directors are equivalent to what it is required for a corporate entity." There are several projects that the channel aims to include, the three main objectives being - the outreach programme, through which the members of the channel will organise workshops for women in villages, where they will be shown several documentaries, thereby educating them; the second on the list targets at equipping the women with substantial skills, like web designing and photography, thereby empowering them, while the third project, WTV Craft workshop, aims at marketing the products made by the underprivileged women. "Also, the channel's working will be split into three main sections, including the news bulletin, fortnightly documentaries and talk shows," says Piyoosha. The membership fee to be associated with the channel is Rs 1,000 (general) and Rs 500 (students).
Getting smart
Sony India has announced XSP-N1BT, a Smartphone Cradle Receiver, which gives an easy access to drivers to turn their smartphones' useful apps for driving, such as music, phone and navigation. The XSP-N1BT Smartphone Cradle Receiver comes equipped with a one-touch NFC connection feature, which allows you to connect your smartphone and have a complete control on music, navigation, phone calls and text messages along with car tuner. XPS-N1BT has a smart docking mechanism to accommodate various sizes of smartphones. Sony "App Remote" unifies car audio music and Smartphone apps, which can be easily controlled by touch panel operation. Aside from controlling the device by hand, users can also utilise the voice control function that lets drivers voice out commands while they are on the road. — TNS
amarjot@tribunemail.com
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Sit, let it drive
Are you ready for a car that drives on its own? Nishtha Shukla Anand
Safety, it seems, is the aim of this vehicle. A Google blog suggests that most accidents tend to happen due to human error. So if the human mind is able to focus, it would lead to no accidents. The prototype has been given sensors that remove blind spots. They will also be meant to detect things in a radius that spans two football fields! This means your car will know what's coming round the corner well in advance! The prototype that Google has developed operates safely and autonomously without the need for human intervention. Instead of us, the software and sensors will do all the work. Essentially, everything will happen at the push of a button. Currently, the speed of these cars has been set at 25 mph. This is not the luxury vehicle you might be planning to lay your hands on next. Instead, it's a clean and light car with only two seats. Yes, there will be some space to keep your stuff. Google will be building 100 prototype vehicles and start testing this very early version. Are you ready for a safer, steadier ride? (Nishtha is a Chandigarh-based technology expert)
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Cool cotton
Come summer and everybody is gung-ho about the varieties in cotton-wear to counter the sweltering heat and look elegant at the same time. It's also the time for exhibitions from various parts of the country. One such cotton extravaganza spearheaded by 'Bunker Avom Dastkar Vikas Samiti', Jaipur, is the 'Cotton Fab', which is on at Nehru Sidhant Kender, Ludhiana.
It is an effort to bring the craftsmen and consumers on one platform for mutual benefit. Duly registered with the office of the development commissioner (handicrafts), ministry of textile, Government of India, these artists explain their products in detail to the visitors. Printed fabrics in cotton and silk in varieties of Saganeri, Bagro, Dabu, Gamthi, Gujari, Kalamkari, Batik et al are on display at the exhibition.
Besides fabrics, Cotton Fab also showcases ready-to-wear ladies kurtis, salwar kameez, special dupattas, kids' ethnic-wear and much more. A big attraction is the ethnic ghaghra-choli and dhoti-kurta for the children. A shopping haven for the boutique owners, Cotton Fab also showcases varieties of chikan fabric from Lucknow and Rajasthani handiworks, besides Chanderi. Maheshwari, Bhagalpur silk from Bihar; Gujarati handloom products, phool-pati work from Rampur as well as Aligarh and garments with Phulkari work from Patiala are a huge hit with customers. "In this exhibition we have added special engraved wooden furniture and artifacts from Saharanpur and more stalls of designer jewellery after studying the Ludhiana market," says Rajesh, the manager. In the home section, one could get Kalamkari rugs, Gudari, Punja durries, table-cloths, printed and woven bedcovers as well as curtains.
(On till June 9 at the Nehru Sidhant Kendra, Feroze Gandhi Market, Ludhiana)
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Nothing ‘aam’ about this mango mania
To celebrate a special gift of summer - the mango - chef Tarun Gupta has got together his team at the Hyatt Regency, Ludhiana, to churn out heavenly mango delights in delicious and rare culinary forms ranging from a variety of beverages, main course delights and desserts.
When quizzed about the long names of the dishes, the chef quips, "I want the guests to understand what they were going to have, as we have created new combos. The salad has a tangy flavour when combined with raw papaya and crushed peanuts." Available in 'Kitchen at ninety-five' and 'Tannur', the Indian restaurant, the effort has also been to combine typical Indian delicacies with mangoes. "So we have a 'Makhmali Paneer Ambi or a 'Bhalai Murgh Ambi' both with tomatoes and not to forget, the 'Aam Phirni' or the Aam Shrikand," adds the chef. "As we started planning for this mango festival, we just could not stop as the combination and varieties became endless," opines Glenn Peat, the manager, Hyatt Regency. The drinks and appetisers too are not exempt from this mango mania. Mango Colada with white rum, mango puree, coconut cream and vanilla ice-cream and mango cherish with a dash of vodka; litchi juice and strawberry syrup are real favourites here. Then there are fancy mango mocktails like Bloody Mango and Mango Relish. It seems the typical mango milk shakes and smoothies, though available, have taken a backseat. For appeasing the sweet tooth the smart way, one can try novel sticky rice pudding with Alphonso mangoes or take a bite of the mango marquise pastry and mango cheese pastry. A buffet comes for Rs 850 per head plus taxes with special mango dishes served a la carte. (On till June 22)
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Smart drive
Sony India has announced XSP-N1BT, a Smartphone Cradle Receiver, which gives an easy access to drivers to turn their smartphones' useful apps for driving, such as music, phone and navigation. The XSP-N1BT Smartphone Cradle Receiver comes equipped with a one-touch NFC connection feature, which allows you to connect your smartphone and have a complete control on music, navigation, phone calls and text messages along with car tuner. XPS-N1BT has a smart docking mechanism to accommodate various sizes of smartphones.
Sony "App Remote" unifies car audio music and Smartphone apps, which can be easily controlled by touch panel operation. Users can also utilise the voice control function that lets drivers voice out commands while they are on the road. — TNS
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A note for Miley
Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler shared a video on Twitter that shows him trying to leave a note for Miley Cyrus under her hotel room door in Finland. In the video, titled Room Service in Helsinki, the 66-year-old shows up towards the singer's suite. "Oooooh, I think Miley Cyrus is here. But Shhhhh - she's very very sleepy." Tyler, dressed in his usual flamboyant style, holds up the handwritten note he wants to leave for the singer, who's in the country on her Bangerz tour. He tries to slip it under her door before finally leaving it in the key hole. Cyrus retweeted his video but it is not clear whether the two singers met up. — PTI The new ‘Irrfan Khan’
Roles that used to go to Irrfan Khan are now going to Nawazuddin Siddique. The roles that are generally offered to him are now going to Sohum Shah. Pretty interesting,
right?
Of substance and shadow
Come June 9 and the long wait for the biography of Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar will be over! The biography titled Substance and Shadow, which was earlier scheduled to be released on his 91st birthday, is all set to be revealed now in Mumbai, India. The biography has been written by author Uday Tara Nayar, who is also a close family friend of the Bollywood thespian. The book will be launched by Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan in the presence of Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu Khan, Lata Mangeshkar and Uday Tara Nayar.
Wardrobe makeover for Madhuri
Madhuri Dixit has mostly made appearances in sarees and Indian outfits like anarkalis. In the latest season of Jhalak Dikhlaa Jaa, she will be seen judging the programme in western outfits like short
dresses.
Amitabh Bachchan’s low-key wedding anniversary…
Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, who clocked 41 years of marital bliss on Tuesday, are not celebrating the special day in a big way as the entire family is busy with other commitments. However, Big B says their hearts are "together". "Devoid of any celebration, devoid of presence, just devoid...Wife away out of country, children travelling ..but hearts together (sic)," the 71-year-old tweeted. The couple got married June 3, 1973 and has two children — son Abhishek and daughter Shweta. While Abhishek is married to actress Aishwarya Rai and they have daughter named Aaradhya, Shweta is married to businessman Nikhil Nanda and have a son Agastya Nanda and daughter Navya Naveli Nanda. — IANS
Lindsay’s London plans
Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan is in talks to make her West End debut. The 27-year-old Mean Girls star is rumoured to be planning a permanent move to London after spending a lot of time in the city recently and is hoping to land a stage role, reported a magazine. Lohan is in talks to star in a West End revival of David Mamet's play Speed-the-Plow. She is said to be in contention for the role of Karen, which was previously played by Madonna on Broadway in 1988. "Lindsay has been looking for West End plays to prove she's still a serious actress," a source said. Lohan's movie career stalled in recent years amid spiralling personal problems and legal troubles but she is now trying to get her professional life back on track following her latest spell in rehab last year. — PTI
For the record
Singer Kylie Minogue is not leaving her record label Parlophone. The singer had claimed that she was disappointed with the commercial performance of her recent album Kiss Me Once and had chosen not to re-sign to the label, reported a magazine. "Whoaahhh... @parlophone!! According to 'sources' we are 'breaking up'! Not true. Exciting times ahead!," Minogue posted on Twitter. Minogue, 46, signed Parlophone Records in April 1999, ahead of the successful re-launch of her career with the following year's Light Years. — PTI Competition review
Priyanka Chopra has changed the release date of Mary Kom so as to avert a clash with Hrithik Roshan starrer, Bang Bang and Shahid Kapoor
starrer, Haider. Birthday takes a backseat
Sonakshi Sinha turned a year older recently. She did not celebrate her birthday as she was busy promoting her film Holiday, which releases this week. What happens in Johannesburg
Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif recently went on another holiday. They are hanging out with each other in Johannesburg in South Africa.
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Shraddha is an attractive girl: Sidharth
Sidharth Malhotra has come a long way since his debut in Student of The Year. He made a mark in Hasee Toh Phasee, which was a hit and now there is a lot of buzz around Ek Villain, in which he has a different avatar. He talks about the women in his life, movies and much more. Character sketch
My role was initially very loud with bhaigiri lingo. This was toned down. My character in the film doesn't speak too much. A lot is conveyed through expressions. We had a workshop with Mukesh Chabbra. I worked on my look. Besides the stubble, I opted for tattoos. I have short hair in one look, a patch in the other. It wasn't easy to alternate between the two looks. My character has many shades of Emraan Hashmi's character from his film Awarapan. On Mohit Suri
Mohit does have a temper. In fact, Shraddha (Kapoor, his co-star in Ek Villain) told me that he was a lot more on the edge when making Aashiqui 2. But yeah, the crew had to bear the brunt sometimes. But he and I never fought. On the contrary, we bonded rather well. We both are dog lovers and have similar taste in movies. The girls and beyond
I find Shraddha Kapoor very attractive, we had a great time working together and that is it! There is nothing brewing between us. I hung out with Aditi Rao Hydari and a bunch of other people in New York and I share a healthy friendship with Izabelle Leitte, which is essential to my sanity.
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Role call
In the upcoming track of the show, Jodha Akbar, will witness the entry of Maha Chuchak, the stepmother of king Akbar, who wants to take the throne by conspiring to kill the king. While Urvashi Dholakia, Meghna Malik and Sudha Chandran are being considered for the role, only time will tell who bags it!
Neha’s car-nama!
Singer, Neha Kakkar, who has sung many songs, including Dhating Naanch (Phata Poster Nikla Hero), Blue Hai Paani Paani (Yaariyan) and London Tumkata (Queen), has recently purchased a premium high end car (Audi Q7). "I love cars and to buy a premium car, has been on my wish list for a while now. I chose white colour as it looks really royal and goes with all my dresses," she says while adding, "While taking the car out from the showroom, the moment I sat in the car, my song, Dhating Naach, was being played on the radio and I loved it! I will now be taking my car to Mahabaleshar during
monsoon." Two hundred and counting…
Bharat Ka Veer Putra - Maharana Pratap, one of the most popular shows in Indian television, celebrated its first anniversary on the completion of 200 episodes. This called for a big bash. The entire team of the show, including Faisal Khan, Shakti Anand, Aashka Gorardia, Rajshree Thakur and Divyalaxmi, came together as a family to celebrate the success of the show. Also, the Rajasthani contestant, Swaroop Khan, of Indian Idol was seen at the party. "It has been a remarkable journey full of joy and hard work. On the behalf of the entire team, I would like to thank the audiences for making this possible," said Abhimanyu Singh, CEO and founder, Contiloe Entertainment Pvt Ltd. Politics over drama
Ekta Kapoor's plans to cast Smriti Irani in the second season of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi have gone down the drain after Smriti became the education minister. Apparently, other actors, including Hiten Tejwani, Gauri Pradhan and Shilpa Saklani were on board in principle for the show and were waiting for Smriti, who would have played the role of Baa. They will have to start looking at other actors for the role of
Baa. More the merrier
Kamiya Punjabi will soon be seen in Sab TV's show, FIR. However, in the show she will be playing various characters and not just one role, which is why she agreed to do the role. She is currently doing The Adventures of Hatim. New show, new girl
Ekta Kapoor has signed a new girl to play the lead of her new show, Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi, which is telecast on Colors. Ekta spotted Radhika Madan, who is a choreographer, at a dance performance and offered her to play the lead role in her up and coming
show. Letter to the PM
After an alleged fight with her neighbour, Dolly Bindra, filed a report in the police station. However, no action was taken. She has now written to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, about the issue and is hoping that the matter will be sorted out. Rock solid
Newly married reality TV star Kim Kardashian flashed her wedding ring for paparazzi as she arrived back in Los Angeles following their honeymoon.The mother of one covered her face with huge designer sunglasses as her personal security helped guide her through LAX without hassle. — PTI
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The year ahead
If your birthday is June 4...
The number 4 makes you meticulous and logical. You are a builder and a go-getter who is capable of turning dreams into reality. You have an extremely well-developed sense of organisation. Your childlike nature will surface and you will be in a playful mood. Sudden inflow of funds takes care of your bills and immediate expenses. Grandchildren would be a source of immense pleasure. Official travel is possible. Constraints regarding finances may force you to save. You will try to make the year a lucky one for relationships. You will receive reassuring news, which will let you hold your head high and confirm your iron will. Try not to be evasive. Remember you will obtain best results by joining people who share your interests and aspirations. You are ready for romance. Positive colours: Dark blue, dark grey, all shades of blue & dark colours Select days: Saturday Favourable numbers: 2,4,8 Gems recommended: Gomed, Cats Eye, Tiger Stone Charity on Birthday: You may donate green fodder to cows, vegetables to needy or to any religious place today.
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Astro turf
ARIES: Recognise your behaviour and try to keep a check on your temper otherwise it could be a tough today.
Tarot message: Empty promises are certain, therefore try to put your terms and conditions in writing.
Lucky colour: Sea green. Magic number: 25.
TAURUS: Use this day to rest and recharge your batteries. Taking out time for yourself every now and then, would be a good idea. A family member may need your support. GEMINI: Be compassionate and considerate towards your partner and let them be absolutely open and frank with you. The presence of Venus would shower you with love. CANCER: Health would be a matter of concern, especially, as the planets that are in your solar health house may create some problems. Don't be afraid to stand for your beliefs, values and morals.
Tarot message: You are advised to focus on professional changes. Lucky colour: Turquoise.
Magic number: 53. LEO: The day would focus on your adaptability to changing situations. Due to your newfound confidence and assertiveness, you may face resistance. VIRGO: With celebrations and get-togethers happening all around, your social life would be hectic and exciting. Married couples would be worried about their partners' spending habits. LIBRA: Business people may consider entering partnerships or joint ventures with like minded individuals. This would also be a good day to travel. Start off with yoga and meditation. Tarot message: You gain by being practical; don't be emotional. Lucky colour: Mauve.
Magic number: 27 SCORPIO: Some relationships would grow closer and more intimate. Be more receptive and open to new ideas and people and you would be surprised at things you would learn. SAGITTARIUS: The presence of full moon in your own sign increases your sense of perception and intuition. Although your health will be good, some of you may suffer from minor injuries, cold or fever. Tarot message: At work don't hold back anything from your employer. Lucky colour: Golden brown Magic number: 61. CAPRICORN: At work, avoid putting too much on your plate and postpone some things for the next day. Many of you would be inclined towards religion and spiritualism today. AQUARIUS: Memories, romance, feelings and emotions would be the focus of the day and it would have long-term influences on your relationship and friendship. At work, this would be quite a motivating yet busy day. Tarot message: Focus on the better to mitigate the bitter. Lucky colour: Pale yellow Magic number: 55. PISCES: Your competitive nature would help you stay ahead of others. Social activities would be highly encouraging. Transfer and promotion for some employees cannot be ruled out.
Tarot message: You have to push to succeed and your efforts will pay off. Lucky colour: Aqua.
Magic number: 59.
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He hasn't resisted Punjabi food; simultaneously he has made sure this doesn't affect his work-outs. So, everything is balanced; quite like his choice of films. "Contrary to what I am known to do, comedy, I picked up this film from so many other dramas that were offered to me because it is a real story; a completely emotional and challenging one," shares Vir, who plays a sardar in film, which he likes to see as a short story of a couple caught between choices. "I was only bothered about two things; one doing justice to my character and second to the culture," the actor says. As for the culture considerations, lessons in Punjabi were taken, including workshops. "I have a very strict teacher on my head, who hits me if I go wrong with Punjabi," adds Vir. The film is definitely not a documentary. "It also explores a beautiful love story of this married couple; it has a short story in between." Enjoying his shoot in Punjab, Vir is also ready to hit the theatres with his next release Amit Sahni Ki List, in which he is pitted opposite six girls. This must be fun! He smiles, "Hope so." 
Soon enough, we could be driving around in cars without a steering wheel, brakes or axle! Sounds scary? Well actually, the whole idea behind developing these cars is greater safety. Google has released images of a prototype self-driving vehicle that they are working on. It resembles the TATA Nano to quite an extent.
Called 'The royal affair', the USP of this mango festival is combination of meat and poultry with this fruit. "We could never imagine having prawns or salmon with mango," echo Tina and Natasha, as they dig into the grilled salmon with raw and ripened mango sauce. Guests Akshay and Veenu Jain relish the vegetarian fair of steamed Tofu with Alphonso mango and ginger sesame sauce along with steamed Jasmine rice. 
You share your birthday with Ashok Saraf (June 4,1948) a comedian of TV, Hindi and Marathi movies. He starred in television serials like Hum Paanch. His strong number is 4, which is likely to boost his career in 2015. Ashok Saraf will shine in Hindi cinema as an entertainer.