LOOK GREAT & BE UP TO DATE
VOL I ISSUE 5 APRIL 2013
LAKME FASHION WEEK
Celeb Beauty Secrets
6 pack
2013
Color Trends Summer/Spring 2013
abs diet
anand kumar man at work
Porsche Cayenne Turbo S work smart, live smarter
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Travel: The Mystical Magic of the Mountains
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PHOTOGRAPH: MANMOHAN PLACE: CHENNAI
AGARWAL
GLAMCOB
editor lokesh sharma managing editor chetna pundir
general manager mandeep chambail promotions manager rachit kushwaha
columnists style & beauty priyanka baswal ruchika varma food & fitness rachit kushwaha rashmi
love-lust & relationships hitesha deshpande luxury deepak mandeep chambail travel hitesha deshpande photographs doyal hinna manmohan agarwal ruchika varma
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Glamcob, fashion & lifestyle magazine. Monthly feed for the fashion hunger people “Be Alluring, Be Elegant & Be Sharp. For All You Are!� Magazine provides you, the stylish gene, righteous theme for the perfect scene. YOU HAVE E-MAIL. We have an inbox. Send your love and hate to glamcob@gmail.com
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“..work smart, live smarter! “Smart women love smart men more than smart men love smart women.” - Natalie Portman
editorial
Anand Kumar is on the cover page of this issue. The very talented Anand took time off his busy schedule to give us quality time for an interview. After his successful flicks like Delhi Heights and Jugaad, he’s back with a action packed movie Zila Ghaziabad and much more.
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In fashion bloc, we’re providing the very first time, top looks of Lakme Fashion Show Summer/Resort 2013. And color trends of Spring/Summer 2013. Hope, you'll like it. In Luxury section, you would get to know the comlete description of Porsche Cayenne S regarding its performance and designs. Don’t forget to look over the ultimate BlackBerry Z10. have a look on its specification with specialists verdict. We have provided a column for travel section in which provided the description of places where you would love to chill out your summer holidays. Let’s open our doors and welcome this summer with a style, so colourful, so raw. Don’t be afraid to walk under the sun. go out unfettered. Happy reading !!
Editor Lokesh Sharma (editorglamcob@gmail.com)
PHOTOGRAPH: MANMOHAN AGARWAL PLACE: CHENNAI
Contents April
2013
anand kumar COVER STORY hottie Aishwarya Raj 19 Bhopal pg 46
turn to page 22
fashion
interview
24 Top Looks from LAKME fashion Week Summer/Resort 2013
Swarantar: Creating fusion rock, with Indian & Western classical. pg 36
pg 10
love, lust & relationships gotcha: Confessions from boys & girls.
trend insider
pg 42
Cornered: It is an attempt to help you decipher the mess you are in and hopefully disentangle it. pg 44
The hues of clothing and accessories are instrumental in shaping the mood of the season. pg 14
beauty Celeb beauty secrets
pg 18
luxury Porsche: Cayenne Turbo S
pg 50
BlackBerry Z10: The touchscreen revolution wasn’t equally kind to all big phone makers. pg 56
food & fitness ..be fruitarian
FITNESS BOOK: 6 pack abs diet.
pg 30
pg 32
travel
The Mystical Magic of the Mountains. pg 64
fashion
Design: Agnimitra Paul
Design: Asmita Marwa
Design: Ashdeen
24 TOP LOOKS FROM LAKME fa
Design: Arti Vijaygupta
10 GLAMCOB APRIL 2013
Design: Bhairavi Jaikishan
Design: Farah and Firdos
Design: Masaba Gupta
Design: Masaba Gupta
Design: Krishna Mehta
ashion WEEK SUMMER / RESORT 2013
Design: Naeem Gupta
Design: Naeem Gupta Design: Naeem Gupta
APRIL 2013 GLAMCOB 11
Design: Pooja Kapoor Design: Payal Singhal
Design: Sailex
24 TOP LOOKS FROM LAKME fas
Design: Shantanu and Nikhil
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Design: Shivan and Narresh
Design: Soumitra Moundal
Design: Tarun Tahiliani
Design: Suhani Pittie
Design: Yogesh Chaudhary
shion WEEK SUMMER / RESORT 2013 Design: Vijay Balhara
Design: Vikram Phadnis
Design: Nitya
APRIL 2013 GLAMCOB
13
trend insider
Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" so why not just party with gamut of colors this season. Color trends for spring / summer 2013. The hues of clothing and accessories are instrumental in shaping the mood of the season. From earthy and natural to vibrant primaries, spring will leave you optimistic. Here are the spring / summer colors to look out for.
Spring 2012 may only have just dawned and fall / winter 2012 remains a distant speck on the horizon, but the fashion industry has already focussed its gaze on a fashion season that’s still a year away:spring / summer 2013.
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Design Options see Earth Daze as a spring 2013 fashion trend that continues on from the 1960s and tribal fashion statements of spring 2012; Burnt orange and brown tones of bewilderment and bemuse combine peaceful ideas and 1960's flair. Deep burgundy and intense blue shades of Provencal and unadorned add a touch of delicacy on a canvas of timeless artistry. Artful with accents of agility and civilisation. The key details are brocade, velvet, paisley and tribal prints, while the associated colors for spring 2013 are as follows
The former fashion trend might have been dubbed Earth Daze by Design Options, but it’s Natural Expression that actually has strong earthy colors. Earthy tones of slate grey and rustic olive indicate notions of loveliness on a backdrop of silk georgette. Cornflower blue and teal hues of gracious debutante and femme fatale delicately draw attention to smoky accents. Particular and naturally expressive. The key details for Natural Expression are metallic linen and rayon jersey, while these are the associated colors
Let’s face it: Natural Expression and Earth Daze are both rather subdued interpretations of spring / summer 2013. And if spring / summer seasons are about anything, it’s loud colours – hence Design Options’ Primary Circle fashion trend. Energetic and striking tones of orange exude deliberation and pragmatic intention. Grass green hues of iridescence fuse melodically with cherry red undertones creating the perfect unification. The principal elements of unification. The key fabrics of Primary Circle are bamboo jersey and patent leather, while the trend’s colors are as follows APRIL 2013 GLAMCOB 15
texures and themes
There are the spring 2013 colour trends, and then there are the textures and patterns that will go a long way to defining the season’s wardrobe. SpinExpo, a trade show dedicated to the the sorts of fibres and fabrics that end up defining many a trend, have released their interpretation of spring / summer 2013's direction. Based on the fibre, yarn and knits being produced, SpinExpo have highlighted four men’s and women’s themes.
Cosmic Transformation picks up on a sci-fi and futurism vibe with light and dark colours along with textured cloth drawing inspiration form the complexities of space’s composition.
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Aquatic Transformation looks closer to home for a look inspired by “the ocean [and] an underwater world of darkness punctuated by bright, unusual forms reflecting light and movement.”
Nomadic transformation sees a trend inspired not by space, sea or land, but rather the people who inhabit it. Beginning where the tribal fashion trend left off, it’s a look inspired by the “surviving traditions and obscure cultures” of the world’s artisans.
Cultural Transformation is inspired by the same softness that has led to revival of the likes of 1950s fashion. More so, though, it’s inspired by “the ideals and beauty of the art world, from performance to painting and literature, cultural influences offer delicacy, subtlety and refined elegance.”
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beauty
s t e r c e s y t u a e b celeb #1 Cleansing, Toning and Moisturising Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra always relies on this basic skin care routine for a beautiful skin. Cleansing skin removes dust and dirt from the face and makes it fresh. Toning skin with an astringent maintains its natural balance and keeps it hydrated. Moisturizing restores natural moisture and makes skin glowing soft.
Organic Care Shilpa Shetty relies on the miraculous effect of baby and coconut oil to moisturize and nourish her skin. She’s against using soap on her face as it dehydrates and makes one’s face prone to further damage. She assures that eliminating the harmful toxins from the skin should be a central part of one’s skin care routine.
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#2
Mud Masks
#3
Bollywood diva Katrina Kaif uses mineral mud masks to stay beautiful and deal with any skin problem. Applying mud masks on the face helps one get rid of excessive facial oil and prevents acne and blemishes.
#4
Hydration Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the ultra-popular actress, drinks a lot of water to hydrate her body. 10 glasses per day is the minimum intake she defines for herself. Besides skin care she believes that having a positive attitude in life helps in reflecting your inner self and beauty.
Hair Care The gorgeous diva, Sonam Kapoor, is said to have impeccable hair, which she attributes to her healthy lifestyle. She points out braiding hair before sleeping to be the secret of her long and healthy tresses. She also acknowledges that massaging her scalp every day with olive oil helps her maintain the strength of her hair.
#5
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#6 Exercise and Yoga Regular exercise and yoga improves blood circulation and makes the skin look naturally healthy. The dream girl of Bollywood, Hema Malini, regularly practices yoga to stay beautiful and healthy.
#7
Spa and Massage Malaika Arora Khan calls herself the spa girl. She enjoys a relaxing massage, hot oil treatment, aromatherapy and body scrub to relax herself. A relaxed body and mind helps her look naturally beautiful.
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Vegetarian Diet Bollywood actress, Kareena Kapoor Khan, sticks to vegetarian diet and drinks plenty of water to stay beautiful. A balanced vegetarian diet gives the skin a healthy and natural glow. Blessed with beautiful skin, Kareena believes in vegetarian diet and keeps skin problems away.
#8
#9 Least Make-up Natural beauty, Deepika Padukone, is not much of an airbrush fan and sticks to the basics of skin care like moisturizer and lip balm. She also does not go for regular facials but indulges in clean ups once in a while. Almost as a ritual, she likes to luxuriate in a relaxing body massage with lukewarm coconut or baby oil every week. Sunscreen Applying sunscreen on a regular basis protects skin from harmful effects of UVB and UVA. It prevents tanning and most importantly, skin cancer. Never step out in the sun without a sunscreen if you wish to have a problem-free skin. Bollywood actress Amisha Patel makes sure she steps out with a sunscreen of the desired SPF on.
#10 APRIL 2013 GLAMCOB 21
cover story
anand kumar MAN AT WORK
“..director of delhi heights, jugaad and zila ghaziabad. (..more to come) APRIL 2013 GLAMCOB 23
On the sets of Zila Ghaziabad ..with Sanjay Dutt
When did you first get into films? It’s been good ten years journey till now. What made you turn towards filmmaking from totally different field of mass comm.? I wanted to be associated with movies in some way or the other since my childhood. Mass comm. was just a part of the journey to reach Bollywood. What and when was your first action of pursuing a filmmaking career after mass comm.? When I came to know Shivaji Productions of South India (of Shivaji Ganesan fame) are wanting to venture into Bollywood, I approached them & narrated the story I had written ‘Delhi Heights’.
How did you get the idea to write the script for "Delhi Heights"? The idea was shaping up inside my head for long, it was an amalgamation of bits and pieces of our own lives, my friends and inspired by lots of events in the past. The battle of two competitive companies which creeps into a couple’s life where they work, was the basic plot. There were rumours that "Zila Ghaziabad" was previously named as "Bulandshehar Cops". Is it true and what made you change the name? I haven’t heard about it yet. They are pure rumours. This title I had registered long back. When I met Vinay Sharma the writer and when he narrated the story it fitted very much into the scheme of things befitting the title Zila Ghaziabad.
"Zila Ghaziabad" was a multi-starrer film. How was experience working with the stars like Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi and Vivek Oberoi? Yes, it was a multi-starrer and to work with top-notch actors of Bollywood all together in a single movie was an experience of a lifetime. I am not sure whether I will ever get an opportunity to work with so many stars together in the near future. Arshad Warsi was the back bone of Zila Ghaziabad, he was the first one to sign and then the rest cast followed, he has been extremely helpful in every aspect of the movie with his vast experience. Vivek also did his work earnestly as the script required him to do. Working with Sanju Sir was a dream come true. It is unfortunate that Zila Ghaziabad remains the last movie before he proceeds to complete his rest of the imprisonment sentence.
How would you define the actual role that a director is supposed to fill? Director has the artistic vision of the entire script which he visualizes the way it has to be portrayed on the screen for the audience. For which he uses technicians like cinematographers, art directors, creative directors, loads of assistants etc. What limitations does a movie director have, in example can he also work as an editor or cinematographer as well as a director on a film? An intelligent director will have the knowledge about entire aspect of film making like editing, cinematography etc. Relatively how hard is it to "make it" in bollywood, and what skills help this? I am in this industry without any mentor, only your creativity can make you sustain in the industry for long. What are some qualities in yourself and others that make one suitable for film directing? Patience, perseverance, creative and futuristic. What's the best advice or motivational words you could give someone new to filmmaking? Do not compromise on your creativity. Are there any future projects that you would like to share with us? Meerut Junction. And I’m starting my production house ANAND KUMAR PRODUCTIONS where I will do 3 films in first phase.
food
..be
fruitarian
The winters are totally gone, and the deadly summers are poking their noses in our lives. I guess (but not hope) they will surely succeed in taunting us and therefore, it’s SPRING!!!!!!! So, it’s the perfect time for the people like us to expand the idea of seasonal eating with some fresh , exciting and of course healthy food.
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Fruit salad are not only delicious and refreshing, they are also excellent sources of essential nutrients. Fruit contains natural sugars and essential vitamins and minerals including fiber, which helps with digestion. Eating a fruit salad daily can bolster your immune system, prevent diseases, reduce your risk of obesity and improve overall health.
This is the time of year where there are a ton of healthy fresh fruits and vegetables in season and when they’re in season that means they are cheaper and tastier. Some of these veggies include asparagus, broccoli, spinach, green beans and much, much more. In addition to those veggies are fruits such as strawberries, oranges, pineapple and again so many more. Then, why not just start experimenting with fruit salad..?
The best thing about fruit salad is that there is really no limit to the kind of fruit salad you can make, though keep in mind that the nutritional content always changes depending on what ingredients you include. Adding things like honey, skim milk, cottage cheese, yogurt and other foods can increase the nutritional content of a fruit salad and improve taste. Frozen fruit salads can also be quite delicious, and they essentially retain all the same nutrients as non-frozen fruit.
Enjoy this SPRING. Enjoy being a FRUITARIAN !!
A diet with salads and fruits can help you lose weight without feeling too hungry because fruits and vegetables are mostly low in calories, and high in filling components such as water and dietary fiber, So, evidently these are one of the most healthy and natural foods in existence and there are thousands of different types of fruits available to eat, all of which provide us with strong health benefits.
APRIL 2013 GLAMCOB 31
fitness
Rachit Kushwaha’s
fitness book pack 6 abs diet
Let’s bust another myth straight from the start. Let me ask you a question? What, do you think, is a six pack abs diet? “The six pack diet is just a healthy, balanced diet!” Do you really believe that there are magic foods or supplements that are specifically designed for six pack abs? No, there are not. The six pack diet is just a healthy, balanced diet, that every respected nutritionist will always recommend to any relatively healthy individual. So, the real question is what is a healthy, balanced diet that benefits your body more than any new diet fad on the market? Be patient grasshopper. I will explain it all. Read on and start implementing this stuff. BTW: Did you start running yet? OK, let’s hop to the 10 commandments of six pack abs diet:
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Eat a healthy, balanced diet
Follow the food pyramid. The food pyramid concept has been around for a long time, but people don’t pay attention to food pyramid because they always look for new diet gimmicks. It is scientifically proven way of eating that ensures balanced nutrition and healthy body and mind. Why would I want to recommend you anything else but a healthy balanced diet? It doesn’t matter what country do you live, and what foods are prevalent in your family. If you are reading this, you’re using The Internet, and if you have The Internet, you can probably buy cottage cheese or rice, where you live. And no, you don’t have to eat tuna or prime cut steak every day. That’s unrealistic, often unhealthy and darn expensive. When I grew up in a former communist country, I often complained at scarcity of meat and protein supplements. We just didn’t have that kind of stuff. And you know what? Some guys still managed to get very fit and ripped. And they did it without salmon, without whey protein powders and without steroids. They just eat whatever was available and worked out like crazy. That’s it. For me to recommend, some kind of magic diet, with emphasis on certain kinds of food, would be following a diet fad. Diet fads suck big time and are unrealistic and UNHEALTHY! The world doesn’t work that way. You can basically eat anything you want, as long as you won’t overdo it with the amount of calories you put in your body. So don’t freak out when your grandma
cooks you chicken and dumplings that have more fat than oil in Saudi Arabia. Don’t puke. Say a wonderful thank you to your grandma, give her a kiss, and eat that food like there is no tomorrow. Stick to the portion control (one meal about size of your fist). Try to skip most of the fat. And go for a nice 30 min cardio workout afterwords. You will be happy, your grandma will be happy. And your abs will be unaffected. (Reminder: Crunches are just additional exercises. Cardio and Global Lifts are the real foundation and absolutely necessary if you want VISIBLE abs).
Understand portion control
Portion control simply means, you don’t eat too much in one meal. Approximately size of your fist (more or less), it’s how much food you really need to function. This rule is designed to really control the amount of calories you throw into your mouth. But don’t freak out about this either. I said approximately fist size meal, not exactly fist size meal. Please don’t use the ruler to measure your baked potato. I believe some diet freaks will do just that. Don’t be one of them.
is wasted in vain. To do that it’s just plain stupid.
Drink plenty of water Six glasses a day to be more specific. Try to drink more water and less carbonated, sugar loaded drinks like coke etc. Again, don’t go extreme here. Few sodas here and there won’t make any difference.
Eat breakfast as often as possible
T r y not to skip breakfast too often. When you eat your breakfast you will basically control your next meal which is lunch in most cases. It works like this. No breakfast-junk food snacks to survive to lunch-big, fatty lunch to compensate for not eating earlier. Every time you skip breakfast your body will punish you by desiring fast quick fixes to hunger. And you will fix it fast with junk food (it’s available everywhere), because you can’t negotiate with your hunger.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables This is just plain, healthy advice. Talking about benefits of fruits and vegetables is beyond the scope of this blog. But they are the healthiest foods in existence. period.
Don’t eat too much sugar and fat Fall in love with eating This is common sense. It’s 2011 and everybody that has a bookstore or the Internet in town knows, that sugar and fat have really highest calories and it would be counter productive to run and lift only to deliver too many calories from food to see your hard
For six pack abs enjoy all different kinds of foods, don’t count calories and have fun eating. Food is good for you. Food is good for your six pack. Food is good for your life.
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Photo: Thinkstock
Please, don’t follow complicated calorie counters or starvation diets, that make you say no to real food. Say YES! to food. In fact eating more good food throughout the day is one of the key strategies in your quest to six pack abs.
do that. Also, in some countries you just can’t get some of this stuff. And that’s OK. The New Abs Diet book was written by a diet oriented Yankee, that is fortunate to have easy access to all that stuff. Depending where you live, food availability, finances and your family traditions, you will have to substitute some of these foods with whatever is available in your living environment. Just be flexible and don’t avoid family gatherings. You can always chose some good stuff from available choices if you are smart about it.
Incorporate these 12 foods into your diet as often as possible. But if you don’t have Pay attention on how an access to some the food is prepared of them, you will be just fine Remember that if you do fall off the plan, don’t beat yourself up over it too much, just get right back on where you left off
O bstacle R ejection C ritics These forces are real. They happen all the time. They cause people to fail in getting six pack abs. So know that they are forces that conspire against any goal you set. Know how to deal with these forces, so you can actually win instead of losing.
Grilled, stir fried and baked is always a better choice than deep fried. Fresh is always better than processed.
A lmonds and other nuts B eans and legumes S pinach and other green vegetables D airy (fat free or low fat milk, yogurt, cheese) I nstant oatmeal (unsweetened, unflavored) E ggs T urkey and other lean meats P eanut butter (all natural) O live oil W hole grain breads and cereals E xtra protein (whey) powder. R aspberries and other berries. These 12 food groups are taken from The New Abs Diet Book. Notice that they form an acronym: ABS DIET POWER. As I said before, I agree, that these 12 power foods are super healthy, I just disagree that you should freak out about them and always eat just these foods exclusively. You don’t have to
Know the enemies of your diet success. Yes, we all know about that it’s all about choices, but life sometimes moves fast. In your six pack diet journey you will have to deal with what I call DFORC. The acronym stands for: D istraction F ailure
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about the fitness guide APRIL 2013 GLAMCOB 35
w S
a t n a r a
ian d n I th i w , ock r n o si u f g in creat
al c i s s cla n r e t es W &
r a
Some think money brings the ultimate success, if you are rich you are successful, but our perception regarding success is different. We think success is defined by what is your presence even after you leave this world. For us our success would be when we are not here in this world and people remember us by our songs and our music. Bands like Metallica, Dream theatre, pink Floyd arelegends, and they will be remembered even if they are not present physically. Even our Indian Bands – Indian Ocean, Parikrama, Indus, Creed would remain in hearts of people forever.
PHOTOGRAPH: RUCHIKA VARMA PLACE: NEW DELHI
introduction Tell about your band? (Include all band members and instruments played.) SwarAntar does not define itself by any particular kind of genre. We believe in making independent and soulful music through which we can connect ourselves with the audience. Their unique style of collaborating old school classic rock with traditional Indian classical is one of its kind in the music scene. All of its accomplished members are from alternate places with incommensurable musical minds that add a different texture to the music.
Vineet, one of the founding members of the band serves as a backbone with his keyboards. By far the laziest of the lot, he exerts his stored energy in the right direction when needed during the performances. He also lends a depth touch to the sound of the band with his harmonizing vocals. Divesh Singh On Bass , self learned bassist with a unique style of bass grooves
There are seven members in the band as of now and we start it off with our Drummer simply because he doesn’t get his share of fame, always behind in the pictures and rarely seen in our live videos, so we decided to give him some footage here. Jokes apart he is probably the only lefty drummer in the Delhi music circuit and his unique drumming style has helped the band in bringing more variations to the overall sound. So can we have some drum rolls for Divesh.
Mohit is specialized in HindustaniClassical (Vocal) from the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya of Delhi. His unparalleled vocal texture distinguishes him from other classical singers. He has beenbestowed with several state and national awards and hisprofessional work experience in thefield of music and performing arts spansacross 15 years. He has recently been awarded the best zonal vocalist by Chief Minister Shiela Dixit for Delhi in the year 2012.
Next up is Pranav on Percussions, he’s a Sangeet Visharath in Tabla. Besides the Tabla he fills up the sound of SwarAntar with a whole lot of percussion instruments (I think 11 of them Phew!)
Mayur Hazarika , latest addition to the lineup and the final one Influenced from classic rock and Alternative rock , Mayur specializes in high scale vocals ,he has been performing with different bands and as a solo artist for quite a long time now. “He is the sexiest member in the Band “quoted by Mayur Hazarika himself.
Now we have Amlan Bhargav on the guitars. He is so to say the tone of the band as he mostly brings out the compositions of the band. For someone who had started playing guitars since the age of 16, Amlan has quickly established himself as one of the emerging guitarist in the Delhi music circuit with his unique style of mixing blues and classic rock with Indian classical.
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PHOTOGRAPH: RUCHIKA VARMA PLACE: NEW DELHI
How it all started? I mean, how you get the idea for creating the band? This is really an interesting one because even now, we haven’t really figured out how SwarAntar came into existence. I guess all it took was a random jam in the music society of our college, and we all knew then and there that something big was coming up. Since then we just kept playing our music and the rest took its natural course. Do the people back at home support you guys? Everything that SwarAntar has achieved would not have been possible without the support of the friends, family and fans. There were the occasional times where your parents ask you about the longevity in the musical field but then eventually they would be the one supporting you the most. How does it feel to be professionally in a band? Tough!!! See, bands were not treated as profession in India. But recently the mindsets have changed and music has evolved as a career. We are still learning, but yes we are happy for whatever we have achieved in this 1.5 years of our musical endeavor’s. Yes the route is tough and the destination is far, but we are still in the process of taking one step a time. If you guys were to describe yourself in simple word choice..What would you say? We are different nevertheless creative..Quite relatable to people from all walks of life! Do any of you guys have a girlfriend / boyfriend?(I don’t know how well this one would turn out..)
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Tricky one again! Ha-ha No, except Divesh all are in search of their soul mate (sounds heavy). Well it’s not about being in a relation .We think it’s the music with which we all have the most serious and intense relationship and we would love to continue that way only. Do you guys have any other hobbies besides, obviously, making music? We just love travelling, checking out different cultures, food and folk music (of course). Except Amlan and Divesh all are outspoken and like meeting new people. Who are your music influences? As all the members are from different parts of the country where in different style of music prevails. Thus for amlan its Metallica ,Black Sabbath , Deep Purple , Pink Floyd. Mayur has classic rock Guns and Roses feel. Vineet has Carnatic influence and of course Dream Theater (GODS of Music) quoted by him only. For Pranav and Mohit Pandit Jasraj Ji, Pandit Ravi Shankar ji and other great mystros of Indian classical music. But the fact that we have so varied influences our music has the share and creativity of all 7 , hence it is never a one man show for us in our compositions. What’s your most embarrassing experience as a band? Wouldn’t really want to disclose that publicly. Just think of it as our dirty little secret. lol Have any of your songs been published? (if so, by whom?) Not as yet. Have you affiliated with a performance rights organization?(which one?) NOPE
What’s your music background? Do any band members belong to the Musician’s union? No. Have you released any music yet? If no, then why do you wantto record and release your own music? (be very honest) We have released a music video named “Dhara” with Live mudd Productions which has crossed over 2,80,000+ hits. We are in talks with different studios from Delhi to record out Upcoming EP “Earth”. What are your songs about? (what specific themes do you cover) Our songs are mostly based on the cultural, social and environmental issues in India. We have songs which do not define a particular mood or taste the meaning are deep and are worth bringing a change. Do you write your own songs? The lyrics are entirely handled by Amlan ,Mohit fills in with his classical Sargams. How do you describe your music to people? You can’t really generalize the kind of reaction you expect from the audience. But we would only say that you won’t get the taste of our music until you see us live. What image do you think your music conveys? (Do not avoid the image issue!) Image is an issue, when we released “Dhara” a pure classical original people thought we can only play classical and we are a pure classical band but if you hear” Money” we have totally changed the image created earlier . It’s a track where we have fused Rock and roll with Indian Classical, Yes that is what
PHOTOGRAPH: RUCHIKA VARMA PLACE: NEW DELHI
we are trying to do which is to create something different yet appealing to the masses. What are your immediate music career goals? Well, for now..we want to perform as many LIVE shows as possible as that is the main aim, and apart from that, we’d also like to launch our EP soon! Do you have any personal contacts in the music business? That is what we lack as of now, we were producing music through independent labels and not going to any record label or brand , so we are still building contacts in the industry Are you looking for an independent label deal or a major label deal? A major Label deal always give you a
tag of being associated with a brand, but we won’t mind Independent label deals as long as we are satisfied that our music is in safe hands to be produced. What live performance experience have you had? A recent Gig at JRE College, Greater Noida where we headlined their 1st Annual Cultural Festival. As their college was new they were not prepared on how to organize a show for a band , the sound requirement s etc, but the crowd covered up for any glitches we had. The crowd was fantastic, it was a chaos, people on stage, crowd singing our songs, girls going mad J . So it was a mad Gig altogether. To add more University school of Architecture where we headlined couple of weeks back was
also fab, the feel and the atmosphere just was amazing. How do you rate your live performance ability? Performing live is our strength; Mayur and his madness can bring any crowd to its feet. We even remember that time when we were rejected for a show by an organizer due to our lack of content (Videos, live performance, Recordings) to display to him to get the show, but we were recommended by another organizer who had seen our previous gigs. We performed and the 1st organizer realized that the band sounded really unique and better live.
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Photo: Thinkstock
love & lust
gotcha Gotcha is filled with confessions from boys, girls, men and women who have been the victim of embarrassing circumstances. In retrospect these moments look so hilarious, that they deserve to be shared. With spring around the corner, it’s time for some steamy wedding confessions!
Interesting Lessons The Pre-Wedding Date My cousin got engaged last month. I was the happiest girl at her wedding. I danced to every tune with everybody who wanted to dance with me. The truth is I was buzzed. I downed an entire bottle of wine before I put in an appearance at her wedding. That is because I was not happy at all! I am commitment phobic. But I have never let that stop me from having a good time. I was seeing this guy regularly, who was equally averse to commitments. The action we had was so good and so addictive that we kept at it. We had made out the night before my cousin’s engagement as well. This should have put me in a really good mood, except for the fact that this guy turned out to be my cousin’s fiancé! I hate to be the one spoiling her ‘happily ever after.’ Namrata, 22
My math professor in college fell unexpectedly ill and was replaced by a really cute geek, who had just completed his PhD. Needless to say, I fell in love at first sight. I started staying back to ask silly question even though I did not like math. It was not long before he picked up on the signals I was sending out. He was initially shy but he encouraged my advances. Within a week we started dating. Our seemingly harmless dates would often take a more passionate course and lead into a lot of making out. He started inviting me over to his apartment. We spent more and more time together. Until suddenly my old professor was back and my boyfriend had completely disappeared! I later learned that once my professor was well again my so called boyfriend had left immediately to attend his wedding in Lucknow. Alisha, 20
Unique Beginning I am a nerd. Or at least everybody around me thinks so. It is not that I don’t like to do fun stuff. I am just scared. Of late, being the butt of their jokes has started to grate on my nerves. I don’t want to be single. But let’s face it; the guys don’t line up to date the geeks. Anyway, at Nadia’s bachelorette, I decided to shed my inhibitions. I dressed in a red hot dress, spent a couple of hours at the parlor and hit the party feeling pretty good about myself. In an attempt to prove how cool I can be, I even indulged in the tequila shots! After a while I started feeling a little heady and went up to the terrace to get some fresh air. A few minutes later I realized I was not alone. Nadia’s fiancé, Danny was lounging on the terrace with a bottle of champagne. He invited me to join him and we got talking. I don’t know what triggered it, but one minute we were talking and the next minute we were locked in one hot kiss! The kiss led to a mind blowing session right there on the terrace top. I should technically feel bad about making out with a friend’s fiancé. But I feel rather good! Danny has called off the wedding and has been wooing me ever since. Of course I never give in. But a good make out session never hurts! Tania, 23 APRIL 2013 GLAMCOB 43
A still from No Strings Attached
relationships
C O R NE
R ED D D
When you feel stuck between a rock and a hard place in a relationship, when you feel ‘cornered’ by the confusions brimming in your mind, write in to us! Cornered is an attempt to help you decipher the mess you are in and hopefully disentangle it.
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If you want to share your concerns with us, simply drop in a mail at glamcob@gmail.com. You have figured out by now that we will keep your identity a complete secret.
ask hitesha? Q. I come from a very conservative family. My family wont even let me talk to boys. I never do. I am expected to dress a certain way, talk a certain way. But beneath all this good girl façade, I am really the everyday girl. I want to talk to boys. I want to be appreciated, touched. As of late my desperation has increased. I want to make out. Go all the way! Every guy I see, I picture myself making out with him in different locations – right from the lawns of our college to the classrooms to the terrace of my apartment. Then I feel guilty about it and I cry for hours. I feel completely lost and miserable. I don’t know what to do. A. I do feel bad for you. It is difficult to work against all the repressive restrictions and lead a normal life. However, here is what you need to do. You need to stop feeling guilty about your fantasies. Every teenager has those. You are not alone. Talk to your BFF about your fantasies if need be. Secondly, include some boys in your friend circle. It is healthy to have friends of the opposite gender. It helps you see boys in a new light and will decrease the fascination you have with them.
Q. Last week I got drunk at my best guy friend’s farewell. In the heat of the moment we kissed. The next day I was so embarrassed that I did not even go to drop him at the airport. The odd bit is that even he did not call me either. I expected him to call me once he had reached. He did not. I have not received a single text, email or phone call from him in a week. I guess he was embarrassed about the kiss too. But now I am angry. I am not the one who kissed him. He kissed me back as well! So why avoid me? I miss him. We used to be together all the while. He was the only one I could talk to about a lot of things and he knows that. Is he punishing me for kissing him? A. Things do happen in the heat of the moment. It is ok for you both to have kissed. It is not ok for both of you to avoid talking about it. Do you notice that while he has not gotten in touch with you, you have not taken any excessive steps to contact him either. Write to him. Text him. Tell him if it is all about the kiss it is not worth spoiling such a beautiful friendship over! If he does not reply even then, at least you know you tried to keep your friendship together. Besides, the next time you get drunk, make sure you are not kissing yet another good friend! Hold your drink!
Q. I am a very popular in my college. Girls love to go on dates with me. And I really enjoy all that popularity. Last month we had an exchange student from Europe join our college. He is really good looking. He also has a well buffed body. For a long time I was jealous of him for stealing all that attention. Last evening we bumped into each other at the gym. He has very hot body. Lean muscles, wellshaped torso, the entire deal! In the night I dreamed about him. We were passionately making out in my room! When I saw him this morning, I got instantly turned on. I know I am not gay! But I don’t know how to explain this dream or this reaction. I don’t want to be gay! Please help. A. You are what you are! You can fight it, you can go against it, but it will make you only more miserable. There is nothing wrong with having feelings for anybody. What is wrong is hiding from it or shying away from it. It is the fear of confronting the obvious what makes an situation scary or more feared than it needs to me. Accept that you have had the dream. Acknowledge it and you might just realize that your reaction is more to the dream and your experience from the dream that is causing you too feel so flushed. And that in fact you have no romantic feelings towards the guy at all! And even if you decided to be on the other side of the fence, look at it this way – there would be those many guys lesser to be jealous of! APRIL 2013 GLAMCOB 45
hottie Name: Aishwarya Raj Age: 19 Place of birth: Bhopal Education: Student Previous works: Top 12 in Navy Queen Pageant, fashion shows. Other interests: Acting, singing, song-writing. Dream role: To become a famous singer songwriter and actress( or engineer may be). Favorite actor: Paul Wesley,Ian Somerhalder, Jensen Ackles, Salman Khan. Favorite actress: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Kristen Stewart, Nina Dobrev. Favorite directors: Karan Johar, Madhur Bhandarkar. Favorite models: Karlie Kloss, Karmen Pedaru. Favorite designers: Manish Malhotra, Wendell Rodricks. Favorite films: Orphan, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Fashion, 3 Idiots.
If you would like to be featured as a hottie, send us your bio and pictures
Send us your views, opinions and suggestions at glamcob@gmail.com Or tweet us on twitter @glamcob
PHOTOGRAPH: MANMOHAN AGARWAL PLACE: CHENNAI
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scenic
beauty I prefer wearing something that suits my personality and is comfortable.
PHOTOGRAPH: MANMOHAN PLACE: CHENNAI
AGARWAL
luxury
Porsche company took initiative in developing a SUV in 2003 which was an eye frowning decision by Porsche. However, despite the grumblings of pursuits, this mid-size luxury SUV has proven itself worthy of vaunted Porsche name over the course of 2 generations. Though Porsche is known for its traditional sports cars, but this SUV has no traditional touch of sports car, also it has redefined the standards of a luxury SUV.
Engine
The new Cayenne Turbo S is a powerful athlete. Its extra muscle is to be found under the bonnet: at the heart of the car. Highly aesthetic, featuring lightweight construction and designed for high performance. Visually, that extra power is expressed by a titanium coloured intake manifold and two carbon inlays, each featuring the ‘turbo S’ logo. The engine specification is also written in carbon: the ‘4.8’ and ‘V8’ logos. These figures reveal a great deal about the power that lies within – and about the drive unit itself. The engine that powers the Cayenne Turbo S delivers an impressive output of 550 hp @ 6000 rpm and abundant reserves of
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power. Added to that is 750 Nm of torque available between 2,250 and 4,500 rpm.
Chassis
The new Cayenne Turbo S is equipped with an air suspension system featuring self-levelling, ride-height control and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). The self-
levelling facility maintains a constant ground clearance for improved driving dynamics and comfort. The ride height can be easily adjusted using the control on the centre console. PASM offers continuous adjustment of individual damping forces based on current road
conditions and driving style. There are three setup modes to choose from: ‘Comfort’, ‘Normal’ and ‘Sport’. These adapt to the prevailing driving conditions, enabling noticeably greater car control and safety. Fitted as standard, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) offers variable distribution of engine torque to the rear wheels and electronically controlled rear differential. PTV Plus also optimises steering response and precision by applying brake pressure to the left or right rear wheel. Also standard, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) is an active anti-roll system that further enhances the extraordinary road holding and precision handling of the new Cayenne Turbo S. It significantly reduces lateral body movement when cornering. The Sport Chrono Package, which is standard on the Cayenne Turbo S, features an analogue and digital timer located at the centre of the dashboard. Power steering Plus is a speed-sensitive power-steering system. At higher speeds, the steering becomes firmer, inputs are more precise and driver comfort is enhanced. At lower speeds, it enables easy manoeuvrability and parking.
Safety
The new Cayenne Turbo S comprises: brake discs with a diameter of 390 mm at the front and 358 mm at the rear. This SUV uses aluminium helps to reduce both weight and unsprung masses – for better road holding and increased comfort, as well as greater agility and improved handling. Fitted as standard, Porsche Stability Management (PSM) is an electronic control system that helps to stabilise the vehicle in hazardous road scenarios. Providing a high level of protection, full size front airbags for driver and front passenger are fitted as standard. These are augmented by Porsche Side Impact Protection (POSIP). This comprises a side airbag in each front seat, curtain-type airbags on each side of the roof offering optimum head protection for both rows of seats, and side impact protection elements in each door. The new Cayenne Turbo S has a sophisticated lighting concept boasting distinctive design, day or night, and a high degree of safety. BiXenon main headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) are fitted as standard. PDLS also features dynamic and static cornering lights, speed-sensitive headlight control and an adverse weather function.
Comfort
Standard equipment on the new Cayenne Turbo S includes Porsche Communication Management (PCM) with a 7-inch high-resolution colour touch screen display – for intuitive and convenient operation. PCM is the central control system for all information and communication functions, including the navigation module with high-speed hard drive, radio, CD/ DVD, sound settings, on-board computer and telephone. For distinctive sound the standard BOSE® Surround Sound System delivers 585 watts from a total of 14 loudspeakers. A 200-watt active subwoofer generates impressive bass. The instrument cluster with high-resolution 4.8-inch TFT colour display shows map data from the navigation system, information from the on-board computer and the Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPM) system, as well as the car’s lateral and longitudinal acceleration. Park Assist uses an acoustic signal and visual displays to alert the driver to any obstacles at the front or rear of the car. In the event of a sudden decrease in distance, the system reduces the speed – even down to a halt. The Lane Change Assist (LCA) system monitors the area behind and to the side of the vehicle. At speeds of 30 km/h or more, it alerts the driver to a vehicle in the adjacent lane via a visual signal. If the indicators are activated, LEDs in the exterior mirrors provide a flashing signal, warning the driver of a vehicle in the blind spot.
Overall Length Overall Width Overall Height Wheelbase Curb Weight
190.79 inches 84.84 inches 67.01 inches 113.98 4,883 lbs
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Design
The ‘powerdomed athlete’ engine lid is a clear reference to the sheer power and resolution within – this is particularly dominant on the Cayenne Turbo S. Only an athlete knows the importance of air-supply while performing. The contours of the front section draw the eye, reflecting the car’s excellent dynamics at first glance. The coupe-like silhouette is typical of a sports car – as are the muscular rear wheel arches. Also finished in high-gloss black, the 21-inch 911 Turbo II wheels with full-colour Porsche Crest are exclusively fitted as standard on the Cayenne Turbo S. Complete with twin dual-tube tailpipes in aluminium with a highgloss finish, the sports exhaust system strikes the final chord in the car’s extraordinary exterior design. But it certainly does not end there.
Cayenne Turbo S boasts a wealth of highquality details. For a sporty, there are elements in contrasting colour, especially in the areas directly around the driver and front passenger. The rooflining, sun visors, pillar trim and a number of other elements are finished in Alcantara. Used extensively in motor racing, this material is extremely pleasing to the touch. In conjunction with the standard carbon interior package, the decorative trim on the dashboard and doors, front and rear, the decorative plaque on the centre console and the Tiptronic S gear selector are all finished
in carbon. The door-sill guards are in stainless steel and feature the ‘turbo S’ model logo. Adaptive sports seats with comfort memory package combine exceptional comfort with the ideal seating position for performance driving. For an even more engaging drive, there’s the rising centre console, SportDesign steering wheel with gearshift paddles and five round instruments with ‘turbo S’ logo on the centrally positioned rev counter – a typical Porsche feature and just one more vital component of this harmonious overall concept.
- Leather interior with contrasting stitching. - Carbon Interior Package. - Sport Chrono Package w/ PCM. - Navigation. - 7-inch touch screen. - 14-speaker Bose surround-sound system w/ 585 watts and a 200-watt active subwoofer. - Park Assist. - Back-up camera. - Adaptive cruise control w/ PAS.
Performance
T h e new Cayenne Turbo S is powered by a 4.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine featuring direct fuel injection (DFI), Vario Cam Plus and charge-air cooling. It generates 405 kW (550 hp) at 6,000 rpm. Maximum torque of 750 Nm is available between 2,250 and 4,500 rpm. The acceleration is 0 to 100 km/h takes just 4.5 seconds. Maximum speed is an exhilarating 283 km/h. This power is delivered to the road efficiently by Porsche Traction Management (PTM) permanent all-wheel drive. PTM ensures the perfect distribution of drive torque in every driving scenario, thereby enhancing traction and agility. Drive is transmitted to the road by the standard eight-speed Tiptronic S. The system adapts the gearshift points to your individual driving style and the prevailing road conditions. The standard Sport Design steering wheel has two gearshift paddles for sporty gear changes. One pull on the right and Tiptronic S shifts up. One pull on the left and Tiptronic S shifts down. Direct Fuel Injection (DFI), injects fuel directly into the combustion chamber with millisecond precision, thereby increasing the mixing of air and fuel, and enhancing combustion. This is designed to improve output, torque, fuel economy and emissions within the vehicle class.
Pros
Excellent handling; invigorating V8s; efficient diesel engine; finely crafted interior; sliding and reclining rear seat; many available options; 4.5 seconds to 60 mph; massive top speed; gorgeous interior
Cons
Those options are really expensive; less cargo capacity than some rivals; lots of buttons on dash; outrageously expensive; outrun by the BMW X6 M; the looks are really getting dated.
BlackBerry Z10 The touchscreen revolution wasn’t equally kind to all big phone makers. Samsung and Apple were quick to spot the opportunity and got propelled to the top, very much at the expense of the likes of BlackBerry and Nokia. And while the Finns thought the best way to turn their fortunes around was to join forces with Microsoft, BlackBerry is trying to stay afloat on its own. The BlackBerry Z10 heralds the rebirth of a fallen leader in the smartphone market. It’s a clean break from the past with a big touchscreen and novel OS, but the same business mentality that made it the favorite of office dwellers around the world. Except, this time BlackBerry has also added a dash of fun.BlackBerry’s previous generation of touchdriven smartphones felt a lot like Nokia’s early attempts to knock Symbian into shape for touchscreen. With the Z10, however, the company threw everything out and started fresh. BlackBerry 10 that powers the phone is a modern operating system with a brand new gesture-based interface and support for powerful dual-core CPUs. If you think dual-core Krait is old news on Android, you’d be right, but the Z10 is closer to the iPhone in this regard - the OS has been optimized to run on very few devices (just one right now, one more on the way), allowing for maximum efficiency.Then BlackBerry equipped the Z10 with a 4.2" WXGA screen - slightly bigger and sharper than the iPhone 5’s retina display - but kept the package more compact than certain massive droids. Then came all the connectivity features, hardware ports and slots. As with any newborn platform, there will be growing pains - sparse app market and iffy maps for one. The biggest concern is whether the sleek new interface will put people off (both current and new BB users). It’s fast and intuitive
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once you get used to it, but doesn’t have the level of familiarity of the iOS or Android (which honestly took years cultivating).That’s the mission ahead of the BlackBerry Z10. It can’t single-handedly recapture the market and bring BlackBerry to its former RIM glory, instead it sets the stage for future devices (the Q10 is a couple of months away).That’s the mission ahead of the BlackBerry Z10. It can’t singlehandedly recapture the market and bring BlackBerry to its former RIM glory, instead it sets the stage for future devices (the Q10 is a couple of months away). So, revolution or evolution? The hardware is miles ahead of Berries of old, but you’ll have to jump over to the next page to see how it stacks up against current Androids and the iPhone.
luxury “Best multi-tasking UI.Very fluid experience, 3 days of battery with moderate usage. Keyboard is amazing. To answer the other poster’s question, yes Yahoo mail can be integrated into the Hub, sine it supports IMAP. The browser has the best at html5 score compared to any mobile browser, even beats most desktop browsers!” “You can integrate all accounts to Hub and you’ll get separate yahoo icon for yahoo as well.” “I have iCloud, Gmail, Outlook and Yahoo on my BlackBerry Z10 and all are working perfectly well.” “I have change my Iphone to the new Z10. I don’t regret my choice. This phone is really wonderful!! I love it!”
USER OPINIONS AND REVIEWS
Disadvantages: · · · · ·
Brand new UI has a steep learning curve Occasional crashes and unstable behavior BlackBerry World missing key apps BlackBerry Maps are even worse than Apple Maps Camera offers little control over image quality APRIL 2013 GLAMCOB 57
movie
wrap up!
April, 2013
Chashme Baddoor Release date: 5 April, 2013 Genre: Comedy, Romance Cast: Ali Zafar, Siddharth, Taapsee Pannu. Divyendu Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, and Anupam Kher.
Chashme Baddoor is a series of lies, secrets and comical situations. Sid, Jai and Omi live together in a small house in Goa. The two womanizing slackers, Omi and Jai, now attempt to woo the new girl Neha (Taapsee Pannu) in neighborhood.
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Release date: 5 April, 2013
GENRE: THRILLER, HORROR Cast: Ashwin Mushran, Benjamin Gilani, Kirti Kulhari, and Luke Kenny.
Neil Parker is a passionate wildlife photographer who pays more attention to his wildlife than his human life. The story follow his journey into a darkness that has to be seen to be believed.
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Release date: 12 April, 2013 friday
Genre: Comedy, Romance Cast: Ayushmann Khurana, Evelyn Sharma, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Pooja Salvi.
Nautanki Saala revolves around Ram Parmar (Ayushmann Khurana), who on night meets Mandar Lele (Kunaal Roy Kapur) - troubled and lonely guy. It is the story of their bonding and friendship. It is a comedy of errors where all of RPs acting skills are tested to the limit as he improvises his way through a hilarious real life drama, complemented by the loose cannon that is Mandar Lele!
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Release date: 12 April, 2013
Genre: Action. Thriller Cast: Vidyut Jamwal, Pooja Chopra and Jaideep Ahlawat.
In Commando, Vidyut Jamwal is essaying the role of a special-ops secret agent of the Indian Armed Services. He will be seen flaunting his mixed martial arts talent on screen.
Release date: 19 April, 2013 Genre: Thriller, Horror
Ek Thi Daayan is a musical thriller film, directed by Kannan Iyer. It stars Emraan Hashmi, Huma Qureshi, Kalki Koechlin, Konkana Sen Sharma in lead roles.
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Releasing date: 26 April, 2013
Genre: Comedy Cast: Kangna Ranaut, Prem Chopra, Reema Lagoo, Sunny Deol andTannishtha Chatterjee The film is a short story of one night and takes a turn when something happens between both the couples and Sunny finally lands up in a relationship with Kangna.
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Releasing date: 26 April, 2013
Genre: Romance Cast: Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor
Aashiqui 2 is a musical love story with Rahul Jaykar (Aditya Roy Kapoor) and Arohi Shirke (Shraddha Kapoor) as the lead characters. Aashiqui 2 takes you through a musical journey of two lovers who go through love and hate, twists and turbulence, success and failure in their lives. will they accept their success and live life together or do their egos separate them forever??
travel
The Mystical Magic of the Mountains
Hitesha Deshpande Every once in a while I itch to leave the city behind me. It’s not that I do not like my life here, but sometimes I feel the need to connect with nature. I want to have my feet on soft mud and I want to smell the grass in the breeze. I want to open my eyes to spectacular skies and experience my heart fill up with a lightness which cannot be defined. Above all I don’t want my eyes to lock up with a neighbor’s, no matter how friendly. Sometimes I really crave to get away from people. To most, this craving might not make any sense. But to those who have adventure in their hearts and are guided by their curiosity, this
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craving finds a home. Staying in Delhi fortunately gives me an easy access to the mountains. All I need to do is pack and head closer to the clouds. I am a woman. I say this simply to point out that when I say ‘pack’ I do not necessarily mean just a backpack which I’ll swing on my shoulders and take with me wherever I go. ‘Pack’ to me means a bag for myself and my husband and two bags for both my dogs. It’s true! Wherever I go, my dogs go with me. Picking a destination where all of us can be together is always quite a task. On a whim we decided to travel to The Misty Mountains. To me the
name held a certain ‘Enid Blyton’ appeal and I mentally added books to the list of things I needed to pack. The resort sounded like a place where Famous Five would have found a mystery to solve. I grew up reading the fantastic time the Famous Five had, to be able to experience their fairy tale magic, even if just in name, was a temptation too strong to resist. We called up Madhur, the owner of the resort and asked him if we could get our dogs along. The answer was not a yes, it was a ‘why not? The entire family is welcome!’ With that kind of an answer I would travel half the country to get to his
resort. Fortunately we had to drive 680 kms. He advised to halt in Bhimtal for the night before we set to explore the mountainous roads which awaited us beyond Almora. The drive through Almora and beyond to The Misty Mountains is straight out of a travelogue. There are long stretches of well tarred mountain roads with pine trees lining either side. The road travels through sun and shade and twists and turns through the most spectacular views. Some of the roads have been built through dense jungles and even in peak summer the sunlight just about touched the roof of our car. We rolled down our windows and let the freshness of the untouched surroundings engulf us. Our road took us through quaint towns with names like Badechina and Dhaulachina, which also happened to be the landmarks to
watch out for. These little towns and villages were surrounded with lush mango trees. Scattered on the roadside were ripe mangoes, ready to be eaten! We hadn’t even reached the resort yet and our little escapade was already looking up! At Raiagar, Madhur had insisted he send his pickup to carry us further up the mountains. At first we decided to challenge his suggestion. After all the resort was only 7kms from the town of Raiagar. For some reason we decided to wait for the pick-up. Another km ahead, we were glad we waited. The good tar roads we had experienced so far, suddenly disappeared. The roads were now the rough mountain roads which tested the experience of the driver. The last two kms of the journey have actually been made after cutting away a portion of the mountain side! As to how this was achieved two
years ago should be an interesting study. The Misty Mountains is worth every bit of the 680kms drive! We reached late in the afternoon and were greeted with an unforgettable view of the Himalayas. Dream clouds flirted with snow clad peaks and mischievous pink rays of a fading sun bounced off the snow slopes to make the most of the last light. We retired to our rooms to freshen up and were asked to keep our dogs locked up during the night, as there could be a leopard on the prowl! It should have sounded scary! But it sounded exciting. Over dinner Madhur and his wife Ambika showed us pictures of the leopard and entertained us with stories about the lifestyle which surrounded them round the clock. For one moment, I was most tempted to give up on everything I have left behind and
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start a new life at The Misty Mountains. The morning noised were muted sounds of chirping birds conversing in various dialects of the bird language. We woke up feeling energized. The minute we stepped out of our cottage we stopped breathing. If we thought the Himalayas looked breath taking the last evening, we must have died and gone to heaven sometime during the night. Though it was only seven in the morning, the sun had was ready to shine and was lighting up the world around us in various shades of color. The snow peaked mountains stood tall and proud tinged in hues of blue, pink and red. They felt so close that you wanted to reach out and touch them. Yet they looked so dignified that you would not want to disturb
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their stance. Over breakfast Ambika explained how they grew some of their own vegetables in little farmed areas around the resort. It was interesting to learn how the couple had traveled far away from the world and taken
efforts to coach the local staff in ways of the hospitality sector. Ambika brings to the kitchen her very own recipes, making every meal a treat to look forward to. Our days at The Misty Mountain were filled with long treks, lazy sunny afternoons and interesting night conversations. When it was time to leave, it was obviously too soon and we did not want to let go just yet. The Misty Mountains is a resort where you could spend a month and still come away feeling you could have waited just a little more. Every day wakes up in a new color, every hour takes a new form and every moment has a unique memory to offer. If you are in Delhi and you wish to travel to the mountains The Misty Mountains is one place you should visit.
PHOTOGRAPH: MANMOHAN AGARWAL PLACE: CHENNAI
promotion
cover page
Publication Date: 24th April, 2013 68 GLAMCOB APRIL 2013
back page
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PHOTOGRAPH: DOYAL PLACE: NEW DELHI
HINNA