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Ray of unity
If we have to pick one festival out of the countless that we celebrate in India, Diwali would sure win by the popular vote. The festival of lights has undergone a huge makeover, with significant emphasis on green Diwali. Yet, there is hardly a dip in the fervour with which we gear up for the day. We catch some celebs from tinsel town to take out a moment, some from shopping, others from shooting, to know what makes their Diwali glow.
Sweet something Indo-German actress Evelyn Sharma religiously celebrates the festival. She cleans, cooks and decorates. "I love the spirit of unity that comes in. Everyone is jubilant, rejoicing in each other's happiness and that's really what Diwali is all about," says Evelyn, who has grown to love spending the day with her friends and their families since her family is back in Germany. She starts her day with the puja and distributing sweets. "I play cards only occasionally. I am bad at playing cards, so I keep away, lest I should lose a lot of my money," says the actor who is looking forward to a quiet celebration this time. A nice evening spent with the people she cares about, chit-chatting and catching up with one another.
Blessings for all The Gangs of Wasseypur actor Richa Chadda spends the day meeting her family members, eating homemade delicacies, praying and generally putting up lights in and around the house. For her the day begins with a small havan at her Chacha's place, Delhi. "What I love the most about this day is getting to spend time with the extended family. She will have to give it a miss this Diwali as she will be shooting in
Varanasi. Not a card or cracker person, Richa remembers Diwalis celebrated as kid, "The festivities uses to last for days. I would spend the days mostly watching my brothers burst crackers and eating good food." Her wish this
Diwali, "To have Goddess Laxmi stay in my home right till next Diwali. And for Lord Ganesha to bless each one of my family and friends."
Mithai and masti Diwali remains to be an integral part of actor-director Luke Kenny's life since his childhood. What he loves the most is celebrating the festival with his entire family. "Back home, my entire family, including my mamas and chachas, would come over to my place for a grand family get-together. The entire time would be spent in catching up with everyone coupled with loads of masti and fire crackers." He misses the large spread of sweets and how he could as a kid gorge on them much to the dismay of his parents. Luke hopes to relive his childhood this Diwali.
Wise take The beloved face of small screen, Hiten Tejwani, is glad that this Diwali is a non-working one for him. The plan is to relax and spend time with his parents and in-laws. While this actor loves the traditional significance of the festival, he is all for an eco-friendly Diwali. "Diwali for me is a day of throwing negativity from our inside." He remembers how as a kid he used to smear sandalwood on his face in the morning and then take a shower and get ready for the day. "The excitement and joyful spirit that Diwali brings is unmatchable, but to keep that excitement and spirit throughout the year, it is necessary to keep our environment clean," says the actor who has only shopped for the things that are absolutely required and largely that too made from the recycled material. The message from this thinking actor, "Burst your ego but not crackers."
Foodie's day out For actor Ali Fazal, who grew up in Lucknow, Diwali vies for a favourite place along with Eid. He would be shooting for Khamoshiyaan in Cape Town this Diwali, but that doesn't deter him to talk about the festival with gusto. "I love the spirit of togetherness, I love how beautiful the town looks with all the lights and diyas and rangolis." Ali, when he is home, loves to spend the day with his family and in the evening he joins his friends for the festivities. And, the day is also another excuse for this foodie to enjoy food and sweets. A total cracker person earlier, Ali now sticks to playing cards as they are supposed to bring good luck. "I remember when I was a kid, my father used to get me lots of crackers and we would go out with friends and burst crackers all night. Our celebrations used to start a week in advance and used to end a week after Diwali."
Save electricity Vishwajeet Pradhan, whom you have seen essaying roles of a police often on big and small screen, loves the festival for it makes him see so many smiling faces out in the open fervently shopping for their loved ones. "Diwali that used to be celebrated with humble diyas and homemade sweets has now been replaced by noisy crackers, splurging like crazy and decorating houses with mindless electric illuminations." Vishwajeet has used the bare minimum electric decoration this year for his house but stocked up on lots of diyas. "The advantage that diyas have over lights is that they are bio-degradable, cost effective and still look traditional and very beautiful. Plus, you can also contribute in saving on electricity consumption that normally reaches sky high during Diwali," says Vishwajeet, who also stays away from cards and crackers.
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Decking up for Diwali
We shall first make a direct traditional cut from the princess cut, while sparing the kundans and giving a little relief to those heavy traditional statement pieces, which have only been decorating your bank locker so far. It's time to pull out those chunky earrings and maang tikas to get a desi look and for those of you who are brave enough to experiment, here is how you get started.
Body matters As far as experimenting with jewellery stands questioned, Mallika Singh of Malleka Studios, a Delhi-based jewellery designer swears by the body harnesses, which add character and depth to a plain piece of cloth. "I think the biggest trend this season is the body harness, which can be worn on top of the plain suit or even a saree," says Mallika. The designer shares that the body harness jewellery makes for a good body jacket and is the first on the style trend-o-meter. Chained in love While rooting for hair chains, maang tikas, and floral design clips in semi-precious stones, Mrinalini Chandra, a Delhi-based designer advocates for hair chains, which she considers are subtle yet fancy. "I think hair chains look very pretty, especially the ones in typical Rajasthini kundan style," she says. "I am also looking at traditional single string maang tikas making a good fashion statement," she adds. Sharing her likes, is Iqroop Dhillon, a Delhi-based jewellery designer and co-founder of Bangdar Sarali, shares that when she exhibited her glass jewellery at the Vanity Fair in Chandigarh, the maang tikas and hair chains sold like hot cakes. "When it comes to experimenting, it's best to look for a new medium of jewellery and glass jewellery is like fashion art, which is neither like junk jewellery, nor like kundan or jadaau," she says. "I have witnessed that people have a major liking towards maang tikas, hair chains and even earrings, which were the hot selling items of my stall," says she. Traditional appeal Vouching for the traditional look, Aradhana Anand, a Delhi-based designer, feels that the traditional jewellery is the best option to choose from this Diwali. "Diwali is a very traditional festival and it's best to dress in a traditional look. I think kundans, Jadaau, Jaipuri and Hydrabadi jewellery in vibrant colours looks very good with suits and sarees. Also, it looks good with westerns if one teams it right," she says. So, this Diwali, get the bling on and glitter away to glory! amarjot@tribunemail.com
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CELEB POINT Divya Dutta I'll never forget this; as kids, when we were in Punjab, along with my brother I would be very excited about Diwali shopping with mom. Clothes, lamps, candles, sweets and yes, firecrackers! When we used to come back home with all the booty, my naani would scold us, 'you are wasting money'. But, well, kids are kids; our competition with our neighbour's kids was always on. It was a very serious competition. My mother used to distribute gifts to all the workers in the house and they cherished the kind gesture. Our maid Bhano's son, with his broken-teeth-smile, beamed with happiness whenever he received his gift. One Diwali, Rahul, my brother, and me were on our terrace, all set to compete and declare the firecracker war on our neighbour's kids. There was a huge pile of firecrackers all set to be burst! Suddenly I could feel a curious pair of eyes staring at us. From the dark corner of the terrace, the toothless smile of the eight-year-old emerged. The smile intact! We looked at him wondering what he was doing in our house. 'Can I watch didi?' he asked, still smiling. What was added was the glint in his eyes, a hope that we would say yes. I just looked at him, a kid like us…same dreams, same excitement...the difference being he didn't have any resources. My heart broke looking at his bright face. I had only met him twice; he had hidden behind his mother when she brought him to our place the first time. I picked up a firecracker, looked at my brother, who I guess knew what I was about to do, went to the little boy and said, 'Why don't you declare the contest open and light the first cracker?' The brightness of the firecracker spread on the dark terrace as he lit it, but what was even brighter was the smile on his face. That was one of the most memorable Diwali for me! Years later, the excitement and urge for competition has died down regarding firecrackers. I am sure naani would be very happy somewhere that we are not wasting money! But we do the shagun of phooljharis and anaars, with all the watchmen, employees and workers of the building lighting one too. The smile on their faces is very similar to that of the toothless boy! Here's wishing you all a happy and prosperous Diwali. (Dutta is a Bollywood actor)
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Make no bones about it!
This film has a strong Chandigarh connect; not only is this set in City Beautiful, but also a major part of its cast and crew belongs to the city. Kabab Mein Haddi is a masala entertainer with a social message 'seldom touched but sensitively handled' is all that this film's team reveals on their visit to launch Cleopatra's Beauty Academy & Bridal Lounge in Mohali.
As for the movie, an NRI lands in Chandigarh to find a suitable bride and a Punjabi, Gujarati and Bengali girl vie for the dream to get settled in London. An income tax raid adds to the confusion. Set on the day of Dussehra, the film has largely been shot in the tricity. One wonders what made them release their film alongside Happy New Year, something that even established film makers desist from! "We have faith in our content," says Rajesh Parasher, the actor who plays the NRI in the film. "We are not scared of anyone," adds Aarti Dhariwal, who debuts with the film and plays the Gujarati girl. It's a film debut for Iti Mahajan, another city girl too. "I play a Bengali girl, who is an income tax officer, but seeing an NRI hunting for a bride, I pretty quickly change my mind to woo him in order to lead a better life in a foreign country." The team, that's largely new, underwent a training workshop under Rabinder Parasher who is the writer, director and producer of the film. Rajinder and Rajesh Parasher have assisted Mahesh Bhatt, and it's but natural that they consider him their icon. "Bhatt Saheb is not in favour of acting schools and believes real learning happens on actual sets. That's where I have picked up my skills," says Rajesh, who had a small role with Alia Bhatt and others in Sangharsh. Dinesh Mongia, cricketer-turned-actor-producer, plays an income tax officer and a Big B fan in the film. It is singer Daler Mehandi who adds to the fun by playing another Amitabh fan. He has also sung and given the title track of Kabab Mein Haddi. The film releases on October 24. mona@tribunemail.com
Learning ground
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Retinol peels — a new revolution
Dr Sukhdeep Kaur Chemical Peels are among the most commonly performed aesthetic procedures by a dermatologist. This is attributed to its simple and affordable procedure, with minimal or no side-effects. Vitamin A is an important component of anti-aging creams. And retinol peels are Vitamin A-derived peels with multiple benefits. Procedure The area to be peeled is draped and pre-peel cleansing is performed. Retinol peel is applied all over the skin and massaged into it till it disappears into the skin. A second layer is then added on and massaged as earlier on the treatment areas. A faint yellow colour develops over the skin. The peel is left on for 6 to 12 hours depending on skin type and texture, following which the patient is advised to wash off the peel with cool water. Emollients and sunscreen are then advised for maintenance during the peel off period of up to seven days. Thermal water sprays are also recommended to soothe the skin. Treatments are repeated every 2-3 weeks. Benefits Melasma or Blemishes: Retinol peel causes exfoliation and regeneration of skin, the pigmented upper skin layer is replaced by new cells. Acne scars: This peel helps in remodelling the dermis by forming new collagen. This peels works best when combined with other acne scar treatments like Fractional Laser, Dermaroller and Microdermabrasion. Acne marks: Retinol peels act as anti-comedogenic, anti-inflammatory agents and regulate sebum production. Hence, they target the acne. These peels work best for patients with oily skin. Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation: This is commonly seen in Indian skin type and is resistant to treatment. Retinol peels offer a glimpse of hope here by increasing the cell turnover and reducing dyspigmentation. Taking care Retinol peels cause dryness and exfoliation of the skin, which lasts for 3 to 5 days after the peel. A moisturiser with cocoa butter and glycerine is ideal. Patients may experience stinging and burning on exposure to sun, hence a good broad spectrum sunscreen is essential. Retinol peels should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation. (Kaur is a Chandigarh-based dermatologist)
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I’d rather be smart than pretty: Huma
The curvy actress is every bit the role model for the anti-size zero campaign she recently spearheaded with enviable self assurance given that her body has often been the subject of national debate. She talks about her appearance and her movies.
Growing up Despite being a girl from a conservative family, I was never made to feel inferior. No one ever told me that I wasn't looking good. But, even in school, I wanted to be the smartest girl rather than the prettiest. Shape and size As an actor it would be my job to look the part. But otherwise I'm never going to be apologetic about my appearance. Size-zero is a fad impossible to sustain. I get angry when I see 13-year-old girls model clothes made for 25-year-olds. This is the reason for the rise of anorexia and bulimia among teenagers. On the Highway It is a collage of different stories that unfold on the Mumbai-Pune highway. I only have to speak a couple of lines in Marathi. Sriram Raghavan’s Badlapur Besides my first co-star Nawazuddin (Siddiqui), it has Varun Dhawan whom I call the 'Disney boy' because of his connect with the masses, particularly girls and kids. It will offer a new take on the '80s which is why I am rewinding to Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi's popular chartbusters for a Sachin-Jigar song I'll soon dance to. Anurag Kashyap’s Madam X It is based on a Gujarati novel by journalist Ashu Patel. I bumped into Tigmashu Dhulia who's scripting the film at Ekta Kapoor's party and I immediately said yes after listening to a part of the script. Then both Anurag and Tishu called me up post Friendship Day to say they wanted me to play this intelligent, glamorous gangster in this thriller spread across continents. How could I say no to the dream team?
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Tevar has a realistic tone: Arjun
His next release is Tevar and Arjun Kapoor says that the film may be a remake of Telugu film Okkaddu, but its realistic tone would make it a different watch. Directed by Gunasekhar, Okkaddu had stars like Mahesh Babu and Bhoomika Chawla. —IANS
Bald step
Hrithik’s diary
Happy together
A gift from Pakistan
Ask Ali and he says, "Parineeti is a lovely person, a genuine artiste and an awesome singer. I loved jamming with her on the sets all the time. I couldn't match up to the 100 cakes birthday gift we gave her in the movie but I wanted to gift her something on her Birthday so asked a designer friend to make beautiful Pakistani traditional dress for a beautiful person like her. Let's see if it reached her in time (Laughs)."
Kriti sizzles and how!
Priyanka fixation
Alia at it again |
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Family time for Deepika
Deepika has completed her work commitments just to make sure she can go back home to celebrate Diwali with her family this year. The actress, whose family lives in Bangalore, has not been able to celebrate Diwali with her family since a few years now.
A source informs, "She made sure she could go home and spend two days with her family. Diwali has always been one of Deepika's favourite festivals and it is also a special one for the entire family." The actress has a film at the brink of release and she was actively involved in the promotions of it. However, she has planned her visit much prior and ensured all her work commitments are tied up.
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Aamir’s new partner
Aamir Khan is known to get into the skin of his character. This time around too he has been doing something very different for his upcoming film
P.K. The actor went through an extended training to learn Bhojpuri for the film.
The language in the film plays a key role. Aamir came up with the idea of having Bhojpuri as it will add a quirky and humorous touch to the character and at the same time people would be able to understand most of it. The ace actor had been specially preparing for learning Bhojpuri since two years under the Bhojpuri TV writer, Shanti Bhushan, who taught the actor the nuances of the language. They specially worked on the language and diction to perfect it. Aamir too has put in a lot of effort to perfect the language, and has created a lot of buzz by trying something different with this film. When contacted, Shanti Bhushan said,
"Rajuji (Hirani, director) called me at Vidhu Vinod Chopra's office and informed me about it. They gave me the dialogues of PK and asked me to convert it to the Bhojpuri- Hindi language, which audience can understand. Apart from teaching Bhojpuri, I gave the required diction training to Aamir at his house for two months where he used to write the altered dialogues according to his convenience."
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Happy New Year
Producer: Shahrukh Khan, Gauri Khan Director: Farah Khan Shahrukh Khan and Farah Khan's Happy New Year has been in the pipeline for quite some time. This is one of the most-awaited films of 2014. The film will hit the silver screen on October 24. Besides Shahrukh Khan, the film also stars Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Sonu Sood, Boman Irani , Vivaan Shah, Jackie Shroff, Dino Morea, Anupam Kher, Malaika Arora Khan and Kareena Kapoor in a special appearance. Produced by Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Happy New Year is a colourful, flamboyant, action-packed musical bonanza distributed by Yash Raj Films. The film is releasing in three languages — Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Vishal-Shekhar has come up with some beautiful compositions while Irshad Kamil has penned the lyrics. — Dharam Pal
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Celebrating a tradition
We get television actors to talk about their Diwali plans…
Right cut
Food corner
Meeting friends
Family time
Conjugal felicity
Fantastic festival
Close circle |
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The year ahead
If your birthday is October 23...
With a birthday on the 23rd you are inclined to work well with people. You are talented and versatile, very good at presenting ideas. You have a tendency to get itchy feet at times and need change. You tend to be very progressive, imaginative and adaptable. Your mind is quick, clever and analytical. Restlessness in your nature will make you a bit impatient and easily bored with routine. You will have a tendency to shirk responsibility. Very sociable,
you make friends easily and you are an excellent travelling companion. Positive colours: Green, Blue. Select days: Wednesday, Friday. Favourable numbers: 5, 6. Gems recommended: Emerald, Onyx.
You share your birthday with Perizaad Zorabian (October 23, 1973), who made her acting debut with Nagesh Kukunoor's movie Bollywood Calling. She acted in N Chandra's Breaking News, a romantic comedy Kabhi Up Kabhi Down with Sanjay Suri and Highway 203 with Kay Kay
Menon.
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Astro Turf
ARIES: You win over an enemy or adversary. Family life is charged with tension. Financially the first half of the day is rather expensive. Writers will find their work in print.
Tarot message: Do not swing away from the course you have charted so far. Lucky colour: Mauve. Magic number: 49. TAURUS: Those who are more spiritually inclined or who want to stay calm will search for solitude. Businessmen have a tricky day. A cosmic wisdom will weave into your affairs. Tarot message: Be positive for
best results. Lucky colour: Turquoise. Magic number: 42. GEMINI: Your card 'The Universe' favours good progress in the profession and business. Be wary of a situation where it will be easy to make a mistake in haste. Tarot message: Do not let anyone take advantage of you. Lucky colour: Green. Magic number: 25. CANCER: You card 'The Moon' reveals a romantic interest. Fortune can smile on you from the least expected sources. Don't rely on luck alone though. Tarot message: Don't be too certain about obtaining a clearance. Lucky colour: Purple. Magic number: 38. LEO: An unexpected bonus can appear in your paycheck. Dress to make a great impression on employers. Style is everything new, so it is important to stay abreast of the latest fashion. Tarot message: Follow your own path. Lucky colour: Yellow. Magic number: 29. VIRGO: Fresh strategies are likely, but initially there will be some hits and misses as you iron the bugs. A household task can be accomplished in record time. Tarot message: Capitalise on your strength and do not
trust others. Lucky colour: Orange. Magic number: 60.
LIBRA: You will be popular today. Boring routine jobs can be made more bearable through teamwork. A level of stress may be building, especially if you face financial issues.
Tarot message: Focus on better to mitigate the bitter. Lucky colour: Black. Magic number: 59. SCORPIO: Many of you will scurry to be on time, frantically trying to complete all the tasks on the to-do list before the day is over. Make extra efforts to conclude pending projects. Tarot message: Impatience will lead to failure. Lucky colour: Cream. Magic number: 54. SAGITTARIUS: Caring conversations and heart-to-heart talks flow easily. A health problem can be successfully handled. This is a good day for both buying and selling property. Tarot message: Unfinished business will unleash new problems. Lucky colour: Grey. Magic number: 39. CAPRICORN: A burst of domestic enthusiasm can sweep into cleaning and decorating your home. Do not carry heavy cash. If possible get a dose of fresh air. Tarot message: You need to cultivate understanding and humility. Lucky colour: Ebony. Magic number: 63 AQUARIUS: Differences of opinion within the family can reach a boiling point. A stubborn response on your part won't help. It is important to get along with everyone. Tarot message: Don't finance an overseas trip. Lucky colour: Saffron. Magic number: 27. PISCES: If you are not okay about a relationship, finance or career issues, take positive action rather than stewing about it. Those employed will have to work overtime. Tarot message: Try to accomplish long-term goal. Lucky colour: Camel. Magic number: 40.
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As a layer of fashion that elaborates on aesthetics, jewellery is just a little more than an accessory, if only it lends a definition to your disposition. While you flaunt your festive spirit this Diwali, the festival of lights, it is only fair to glitter away and shine on you diamond…and we tell you how exactly to do so!
Charity on birthday: Gift sweets to near and dear ones.