hydlife_dec_magazine by sai m

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DEC2010 VOL 01 ISS 03

Miss Mesmerizing SHREYA DHANWANTHARY

IT’S CHRISTMAS! BEST CAKES IN TOWN! BEST CHRISTMAS BUFFETS!

ESSENTIAL WINTER FASHION SIZZLE THIS WINTER

WEEKEND TRAVEL RAMAPPA TEMPLE life_cover_dec_Final.indd 1

HOTTEST PARTY DESTINATIONS ACROSS THE WORLD!

REVIEWS

SCARIEST ASIAN HORROR MUST-READ INDIAN AUTHORS

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Managing Editor B Chandra Shekhar Reddy Managing Director Shivaranjani Reddy Executive Editor Anand Rayapudi General Manager K. Ramakrishna Reddy Marketing Kishore Kumar Feature Writers Soumya Mukherjee Naveen Sake Aditi Mukherjee Jyotika Naidu Sanjana Sharan Antara Pal Richa Chandra Suresh Kandhi Printed and Published by B Chandra Shekhar Reddy Regd Oﬃce Nymisha Castle, Flat no.101, plot 290, Road 10C, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad

Printed at Millenium Publications & Printers: Plot No-2, Sri Lakshmi Nagar, Bowenpally, Hyd – 500011, Designer: Prudvi Advertising, Hyderabad, info@prudvi.com

Communication Address Plot No-24, Road No 3 UBI Colony, Banjara HIlls. Ph. No. 040 23540048 info@hyderabadlife.in

an initiative of:

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Managing Director’s Note It’s December already! Can’t believe 2010 flew by so fast! I usually have a love hate relationship with the end of the year. I love buying gifts, attending parties, & planning celebrations with family & friends. I don’t like it that another year has sped away in my life. Overall this year has been positive for me. But 2010 shall remain in my heart forever for one reason – The launch of our magazine, and the tremendous feedback we have received for it! It feels good to give back to the city that has given us so much! On another happy note, it gives me great pleasure to congratulate Sri Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy on becoming the new Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. This month’s issue is a party special choc a bloc with great reads like Christmas celebrations & the best Christmas buffets in town. We have also compiled a list of the hottest New Year’s Eve party destinations around the world. Adding to the life of our party cover is the beautiful Shreya Dhanwanthary! Explore, Enjoy & Experience our Special Celebrations issue, but hold on just a minute! We have gone the extra mile & decided to spice things up a little bit. We love nothing more than reader participation. The more we interact with you, the better! So we are introducing 3 awesome new concepts for you, our dear reader. First is the Hyderabad Power List, where we choose the city’s most powerful mover & shaker, and you have a say in it as well! Next we have the Miss Hyd & Mrs Hyd contest where ladies can send in their entries & get chosen Hyderabad’s most beautiful & intelligent women. We also have introduced a new Kitty Party Section where you can get your party featured in our mag. For more details on these events, please email us at info@hyderabadlife.in. Agreed that we have a hard job to do managing all this, but I’ve never seen anything in the rules that says we can’t have fun doing it. We are committed to remaining smart, comprehensive, informative, engaged & essential. Looking to the New Year, we intend to be the sharpest, liveliest, youngest magazine on the block. Until the next issue... Happy Reading!

Shivaranjani Reddy Managing Director

Correction: In Pg 54 of the previous issue, Madhura Honey was inadvertently mentioned as ‘approved by National Honey Board, USA. It should actually have read ‘Madhura Honey meets the quality standards of National Honey Board, USA. The discrepancy is regretted. - Editor

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In DECEMBER

What’s happening?

This time Last Month

Health

Education

Fashion

Festive Feature F

32 34

Real Estate R

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Calendar of Events Ca

City C Ci t Events

Fitness – Exercise at Work Fit Fi Nutrition – Fire up your Metabolism Nu N u

Expert Talk – Prof Shastry, Retired VC, CIEFL Ex E Campus Watch – EFLU Ca a

Men – Essential Winter Fashion Me M Wo W o Women – Sizzle this Winter

It’s It s Christmas! Be e Cakes in Town! Best B Be e Christmas Buffets! Best

PROJECT PR R WATCH - RV NIRMAAN

Hotspot Full Fu u Volume

12/2/2010 8:24:45 AM

Food Guide

Celeb

Special Feature

Festive Recipes Fine Dine – Urban Asia

Miss Mesmerizing Shreya Dhanwanthary

Hottest Party Destinations across the world!

Weekend Travel Ramappa Temple

Gossip Catch up on your fave celebs

Box Office

2011’s Most Anticipated Movies

Reviews

Special Feature

DVD – Best Asian Horror Movies Books – Best Indian Authors Gizmo corner Gaming Vroom – Toyota Etios

Travails of a true Hyderabadi – The Wedding Dancer

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CALENDAR WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Live Jazzkomplott Band Dec 02 06:00 PM Goethe - Zentrum

Photography Contest + Christmas Party

AGCH Hermitage Office Complex (HUDA) Hill Fort Road, Opp. Kalanjali Showroom

Wed 15 Dec Event Type: Exhibitions Alliance Francaise of Hyderabad and Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad invite young and old, amateur and experienced photographers to pick up their cameras and start clicking this festive season.

India International Travel Mart

3 – 5 Dec

Study in France Education Fair

CORPORATE SOCCERFEST

7 – 8 Dec

4 - 5 Dec

10:30 AM (Event duration: 8 hrs) Taj Deccan Road No. 1, Banjara Hills Hyderabad

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Gymkhana Grounds S P Road, Secunderabad Hyderabad

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DECEMBER 2010

Greentech Environment Conference & Expo

12 – 13 Dec All Day Hotel Novotel Greentech Environment Conference & Expo will run concurrent with conference offers excellent opportunity to have major exposure for development of business/trade with participants.

Times Education Expo - Hyderabad

18 – 19 Dec All Day Hotel Manohar Airport Road, Begumpet Hyderabad

Sifar’s Theatre Fest 2010

26 – 28Dec Lamakaan lane adj. CBay, opp. GVK One, Banjara hills Road no.1 Hyderabad

OTHEREVENTS

Live - Evergreen at HRC 08:00 PM (Event duration: 04:00 hrs)

23 DEC Hard Rock Cafe GVK One, 1st Floor, Banjara Hills, Road No.1 Hyderabad

Snack on scrumptious Burgers from across the Globe at HRC Nov 29 To Dec 31

Pizza Mania at Ruci & Idoni Dec 01 To Dec 31

Persian Food Festival @ Siaa Dec 01 To Dec 10

Ravage By Raj Shroff @ Also Boutique Saturday, Dec 04 - 10:30 AM onwards

Trinity Treasure Hunt @ Jalavihar Park Sunday, December 05 09:30 AM onwards

WAR BEGINS” DAY PARTY @ SPOIL Saturday, December 11 - 11:00 AM onwards

Ultimate Global Food Experience @ Novotel Hyderabad Airport on Dec 04, 11, 18, 25

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THIS TIME LAST MONTH

CONGRATULATIONS W

ith great pleasure & pride, Hyderabad Life heartily congratulates Sri Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy, the 16th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, on his ascension to the post & wishes him a successful tenure ahead. Born on 30 September 1960, Sri Kiran Kumar Reddy is one of the most dynamic leaders in the state political machinery. He was sworn in on 25th November after the earlier CM K Rosaiah stepped down due to personal reasons. After he took in oath, he addressed the media & stressed the need for maintaining peace which he said was pivotal for attracting investments into the state, in particular the capital. He maintained that his priority is to continue the efforts to make Hyderabad the most sought after destination for the investors. An alumni of HPS Begumpet & Nizam College, he was also an avid cricketer during his college days & has represented Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy. Let us pledge all our support to this Hyderabadi so that he may lead us along into the throes of progress & prosperity.

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THIS TIME LAST MONTH

HYDERABAD 10K RUN It was a sight to witness on 28th Dec, as thousands of people including celebrities, participated in the Hyderabad 10K Run for good health around Hussain Sagar lake. The usually tranquil environs of the picturesque lake burst into a frenzy of excitement in the morning as about 20,000 people joined the run. Spotted Telugu film personalities D. Suresh, Muralimohan, Naga Chaitanya, Nikhil, Navadeep, Manchu Vishnu, former All England badminton champion P. Gopichand. Parliamentarian G Vivek & a host of other Hyderabadis... The eighth edition was divided into different categories -competitive 10K Run for the elite and international men, women, 10K run for amateurs of 18 years and above, corporate run of 8K and fun run of 8K for those above 12 years. Milia of Ethiopia won the run in the men’s category while Inder Singh finished second. In the women’s run, Lalita Barba bagged the first prize while Priyanka Singh finished second. Started as a fitness awareness event seven years ago, Hyderabad 10K Run has now become an important sporting event. This year, the message of ‘Keep the Lake Clean’ was emphasized upon.

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12/2/2010 8:25:12 AM

THIS TIME LAST MONTH

ALLU ARJUN GETS ENGAGED!

In a move that can break the heart of his thousands of fans across South India, Stylish star Allu Arjun got engaged to Sneha Reddy, daughter of prominent educationist Sankar Reddy. The grand engagement ceremony took place at Novotel. The would-be bride was clad in a parrot green saree while the would-be groom looked sizzling in his white suit. The rings were exchanged between the couple and the traditional rituals were followed. It is expected that the couple will tie the knot in February next year though the exact date of marriage is yet to be declared.

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12/2/2010 8:25:20 AM

Do you have what it takes to be... Miss*

HYDERABAD LIFE

Mrs

? HYDERABAD LIFE

*18+ Yrs SEND IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS & YOU COULD BE HYDERABAD’S NEXT BEAUTY QUEENS! mail your photographs to info@hyderabadlife.in For more details, call 040-2354 0048

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12/2/2010 8:25:28 AM

THIS TIME LAST MONTH

AN EVENING WITH THE LEGEND RD BURMAN This was one concert that featured the finest of Pancham’s work, performed by some of the original musicians from his own troupe, such as Franco Vaz, Suraj Sathe, Shyam Raj, Kishore Sodha, Raj Sodha, Blasco Monsorate, Ranjit Gazmer (Kancha bhai), Pradipto Sengupta and Vijay Jadav, performing live for the first time in Hyderabad. Acclaimed singers Sudesh Bhosle & Shailaja also accompanied the troupe and gave a fitting tribute to the genius of R.D. Burman, with a lovely mix of lilting and foot-tapping numbers. The audience hummed along happily, broke into a jig, clapped to keep beat, and even felt the tears welling up at times. It was a full house at Shilpakala Vedika, testimony to the hold retro numbers have over people.

CRESCENTIA: St. Francis Girls College’s Management students organized their annual fest Crecsentia on the 26th of last month. The event saw an attendance of more than 1600 students from various engineering, management and degree colleges across the city. Various interactive competitive and responsive events were held throughout the day. The participants were put to test in a myriad of creative games like ‘One Minute Manager’, ‘Crackpot’ and ‘Tele-connect’. The event saw guest judges like Varun Sandesh and MTV VJ Deepti interact with the crowd!

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LAUNCH OF BRAND CONSTELLO NSL Textiles, part of Hyderabad-based NSL Group, on Saturday launched its branded apparel ‘Constello’ in the market. At a glittering function here, Telugu movie star NTR launched the apparel brand. “Constello will bring the latest International fashion trends to India at daringly honest prices. Our focus is to fill in the gap between what today’s ambitious youth wants and what is available in the market. We will see this as an opportunity to cater to this customer segment with the motto - modern day fashion and quality at honest prices,” said Mandava Prabhakar Rao, Chairman, NSL Group said. Also present at the event were Mr. Giridhar Myneni (Vice Chairman), Mr Akashdeep Sandhu (COO-Constello) & franchise owners.

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12/2/2010 8:25:43 AM

THIS TIME LAST MONTH

BLACK DOG EASY EVENINGS The tagline, “Let the World Wait... a little longer” was apt for the most awaited Black Dog Easy Evenings - Unwind to the sound of Guitar, held at Taj Deccan in the Pearl City, Hyderabad. The guests were visibly excited as this one was one major event in the performances book of the city. Four international guitar maestros - Dylan Fowler, Frank Wingold, Dave Goodman and Eric Vaarzon Morel, performed a blend of jazz, blues and flamenco. Frank Wingold started the evening’s performance by playing solo jazz pieces in his characteristic flair. He was joined later by Dave Goodman who played blues and sensitive ballads. Dylan Fowler amazed the audience next with his finger picking style. He was later joined by Eric Vaarzon Morel who played explicit flamenco pieces. The vibes between both the maestros was amazing and they jammed together effortlessly without any kind of qualms. The crowd really got onto their feet when Frank, Dave, Eric and Dylan joined hands at the end of the evening to create a wonderful performance which left the crowd wanting for more! In fact the crowd’s enthusiastic appeal for an encore brought the four talented guitarists back onto the stage for a spell-bounding finale! The evening ended with the hostess Hazel Singh announcing the winners of the lucky draw who won amazing prizes like return tickets to Dubai, 18 year old special edition of Black Dog & the most amazing gift of them all - an autographed guitar signed by all the maestros themselves! It was a fitting end to a perfectly relaxed easy evening organised by the best selling Scotch whisky in India, Black Dog!

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12/2/2010 8:25:47 AM

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12/2/2010 8:26:00 AM

HEALTH

EXERCISE AT WORK It’s hard to find time to exercise, especially for those of us who work in an office. Exercising at work may seem impossible, but it’s one option for staying fit and keeping your energy up. It takes some creativity, but there are opportunities to exercise at work if you pay attention. All it takes is a little planning and some inspiration to squeeze in a little movement all day long.

THE BASICS

You probably know a few tricks for staying active at work. Taking the stairs when you can, parking further away from the entrance and walking around the office when you can are good places to start. Beyond that, there are a few other options to keep you moving: Set an alarm to go off every hour to remind you to stand up and move around. Even if you just swing your arms or take a deep breath, you’ll feel more alert. Use the restroom on another floor and take the stairs. Use a pedometer and keep track of how many steps you take. Aim for 6,000 to 10,000 steps a day. Leave something important in your car (your lunch, your briefcase, etc.) so you have to run out to get it (and take the stairs). Deliver documents or messages to co-workers in person rather than by email Be creative. Any movement is better than none, so don’t feel like you have to do sprints all day long. Adding short bouts of exercise throughout the day will help you burn more calories and will also reduce stress so you can easily smile at your boss when he piles more work on you.

SIMPLE EXERCISES YOU CAN DO AT YOUR WORK PLACE

These simple office exercises are a great way to keep your body moving right at your desk. The moves here involving stretching and strengthening your body, all within the comfort of your office chair. This workout doesn’t take the place of traditional strength training, but offers you a way to keep your blood moving if you can’t get away from your desk.

Precautions See your doctor before trying this workout if you have any injuries, illnesses or other conditions. Make sure the chair you use is stable. If you have wheels, push it against a wall to make sure it won’t roll away. Equipment Needed: A chair and a water bottle.

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Stretches for Your Wrists and Arms Wrist Stretch: Extend arm in front, palm up and grab the fingers with other hand. Gently pull the fingers towards you to stretch the forearm, holding for 20-30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Wrist & Forearm: Press hands together in front of chest, elbows bent and parallel to the floor. Gently bend wrists to the right and left for 10 repetitions. Lower Back Stretch: Sit tall and place the left arm behind left hip. Gently twist to the left, using the right hand to deepen the stretch, holding for 20-30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Lower Body Exercises Hip Flexion: Sit tall with the abs in and lift the left foot off the floor a few inches, knee bent. Hold for 2 seconds, lower and repeat for 16 repetitions. Repeat on the other side. Leg Extension: Sit tall with the abs in and extend the left leg until its level with hip, squeezing the quadriceps. Hold for 2 seconds, lower and repeat for 16 repetitions. Repeat on the other side. Inner Thigh: Place towel, firm water bottle or an empty coffee cup between the knees as you sit up tall with the abs in. Squeeze the bottle or cup, release halfway and squeeze again, completing 16 repetitions of slow pulses.

Chair Exercises Chair Squat: While sitting, lift up until your hips are just hovering over the chair, arms out for balance. Hold for 2-3 seconds, stand all the way up and repeat for 16 repetitions. Dips: Make sure chair is stable and place hands next to hips. Move hips in front of chair and bend the elbows, lowering the body until the elbows are at 90 degrees. Push back up and repeat for 16 repetitions. One-Leg Squat: Make sure the chair is stable and take one foot slightly in front of the other. Use the hands for leverage as you push up into a one-legged squat, hovering just over the chair and keeping the other leg on the floor for balance. Lower and repeat, only coming a few inches off the chair for 12 repetitions. Repeat on the other side.

Upper Body Exercises Front Raise to Triceps Press: Sit tall with the abs in and hold a full water bottle in the left hand. Lift the bottle up to shoulder level, pause, and then continue lifting all the way up over the head. When the arm is next to the ear, bend the elbow, taking the water bottle behind you and contracting the triceps. Straighten the arm and lower down, repeating for 12 repetitions on each arm. Bicep Curl: Hold water bottle in right hand and, with abs in and spine straight, curl bottle towards shoulder for 16 reps. Repeat other side.

Ab Exercises Side Bends: Hold a water bottle with both hands and stretch it up over the head, arms straight. Gently bend towards the left as far as you can, contracting the abs. Come back to centre and repeat to the right. Complete 10 reps (bending to the right and left is one rep). Ab Twists: Hold the water bottle at chest level and, keeping the knees and hips forward, gently twist to the left as far as you comfortably can, feeling the abs contract. Twist back to centre and move to the left for a total of 10 repetitions. Don’t force it or you may end up with a back injury.

Suresh Kandhi - Fitness consultant, Hyderabad Life is a nationallevel weightlifter & a fitness trainer. He includes innovative training methods to ensure a creative & effective workout. He can be reached at suresh.getfit@gmail.com. 17

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12/2/2010 8:26:07 AM

health

FIRE UP YOUR

METABOLISM Ever wonder why your friend can go through a full-size ice-cream without gaining a gram while just one spoonful goes straight to your hips and belly? The answer lies in your metabolism. Some people are genetically pre-disposed with a higher metabolic rate and hence can burn calories faster. A slow metabolic rate, on the other hand, is often responsible for weight gain. While you can not re-wire your genes, there are lots of things you can do to turn your body into an efficient calorie-burning machine; thankfully, depriving yourself of your favourite food, going on a fad diet, or popping a miracle pill is not one of them. Eat small, eat often – True, you need to cut calories to lose weight, but cutting your calories too low and too fast can slow your metabolism. Ironic it may sound, but small meals at regular interval satisfy hunger and keep metabolism humming. Breakfast – Your metabolism slows while you sleep, and it doesn’t rev back up until you eat again, so if you skip breakfast, your body will not burn as many calories until lunch time as it could. That’s why it is good to start the day with a 300-400-calorie meal; it jump-starts your metabolism. Go green with your tea – Green tea contains more of caffeine which helps speed up your heart rate and stimulates the central nervous system. A cup or two of green tea can boost your metabolism by 5-8%. Take plenty of protein - Research shows that getting plenty of protein can

increase your metabolism, causing you to burn an extra 150 to 200 calories a day. Pump iron rich food – Iron carries the oxygen our muscles require to burn fat. Include green leafy vegetables, dates, jaggery, watermelon, oranges and other citrus fruits to increase supply and absorption of iron in the body. Drink milk – Sounds so simple! Still, many people avoid milk because of its high fat content. Milk is rich in protein, vitamin D and calcium which are required to keep building the muscle tissue needed for an improved metabolism. You can also opt for skimmed, low-fat or soy milk. Go for good carbs - Refined carbs like maida, white bread, and potatoes, create a surge in insulin that in turn promotes storage of fat and may drive down your metabolism. It’s important to keep carbohydrates in your overall

diet, but focus on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Spice up your food – This one is a blessing in disguise for us Indians. Eating spicy food can speed up metabolism and suppress cravings. Drink water – Drinking enough water ensures that we do not mistake thirst for hunger. It helps raise resting metabolism by about 50 calorie daily, which is enough to shed 2-3 kgs in a year. If you didn’t notice already, most of these are fairly generic tips for a smarteater. Some of you probably already adhere to them in your day to day life without even knowing how they help your metabolism. No wonder, the key ingredient of most nutrition advice is a balanced diet with right eating habits. Don’t forget to add a pinch of exercise!

Richa Chandra is a leading Hyderabad-based nutritionist specializing in therapeutic nutrition and weight management. She advocates a proactive approach to preventing & curing diseases and staying fit through healthy eating habits. She works as a consultant with several hospitals in the city and provides counselling on diet and lifestyle management. She can be reached at richa.nutrition@gmail.com

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12/2/2010 8:26:27 AM

Education

Foreign Language Learning Hyderabad Life brings to you an exclusive interview with Prof Shastry, retired Vice-Chancellor of CIEFL, now known as EFLU, & one of the city’s foremost experts on the French language. In a world dominated by English – the language of business, why should one learn another foreign language from a globalization perspective? In the wake of globalization, more precisely in a world led by market forces, increasing mobility of manpower and import-export policy, some foreign languages other than English have come to stay as indispensable bridges to banish rigid barriers of trade.Consequently, our country as an aspiring global power needs to arm itself with expertise in different international languages so that children have equal opportunities as elsewhere in the world.

What are the benefits of being multilingual in today’s society? Multilingualism dots the Indian linguistic landscape. We are born multi-linguists and speak at least 3 languages: Mother tongue, Regional language and English. Philosophically speaking, multilingualism promotes interhuman tolerance, understanding, cohabitation, appreciation of different value systems – in short it nurtures humanism, much needed in today’s ego-centric world.

What is the most relevant world language other than English? Spanish is the second most used language for international communication and an official language at the UNO and its organizations. The official language of Spain and 19 other Latin American nations, Spanish is spoken by more than 300 million people and as a second language by another 50 million approx.

Professionally, how can the students utilize FL learning? What are the career opportunities, both local and abroad? With a Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) Course, one can respond to a number of myriad career possibilities like • Travel & Tourism

You have served as VC of CIEFL, now known as EFLU. You are known as one of the city’s foremost experts in French. How did you develop interest in this language? I came to know of the French Revolution, about the world’s great dramatists, thinkers, novelists like Molière, Racine, Rousseau, Voltaire, thanks to my father and teachers who had a special space for them in their literary armory. By then, my eldest brother was working for a Swiss Firm with a Swiss French as its chief. I fondly remember my classes: Beginners, MA, M. Phil, PhD, Teacher Training Programs. It were as though some kind of magic was in place. An engaging class, the enthralling verb, beaming faces, what a thrill it was! At the end of the class, twinkle of meditative contentment in our eyes! What a blissful moment! Ooh là là! A pure delight!

• Hotel Management • IT Industry • Film Dubbing & Sub-titling • Programming e-learning Materials • Scientific & Technical Translation • Medical / Legal Transcription

Your favorite French quote “Plus je m’accuse et plus j’ai le droit de vous juger” – Albert Camus The more I take the blame and the more have I the right to judge you.

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12/2/2010 8:26:33 AM

EDUCATION

ENGLISH & FOREIGN LANGUAGES UNIVERSITY As more and more companies stress on the importance of communication, we wonder what took us so long to understand its value. With the growing economy, the challenge of communication among global traders and business counterparts is becoming a serious concern. Corporates these days prefer the gift of the gab over grades. The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) (earlier known as CIEFL) is aiding students to a great extent in battling this challenge.

Soumya Mukherjee

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12/2/2010 8:26:33 AM

CAMPUS Based on a 38 acre sprawling campus at Tarnaka, this university was established by the Government of India in 1958 as the Central Institute of English. As their programmes expanded to include other languages, the name was changed to Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (CIEFL). It received central university status in 2006 and was renamed as the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU).

COURSES The university comprises of 11 schools and 38 departments which amalgamate the various facets of linguistics. They have a wide range of programs ranging from a two year M.A. in English to research projects leading to M.Phil or Ph.D. The foreign language courses and the opportunity to study using their distance learning mode gives this university a unique stand among the best universities in the country.

INFRASTRUCTURE The EFLU boasts of deemed faculty and impressive infrastructure where the students experience learning beyond the four walls of the classroom and mundane textbooks. This makes learning not only fun, but also fosters personal development. The Ramesh Mohan Library with over 1,50,000 books , a Self-Access Learning Centre (with language laboratories to practice pronunciation) gives the students access to rarely available resources. The film and theatre clubs are ideal literary hubs, giving them an opportunity to showcase their talents. STUDENT SPEAK

Ganbat Munkhtugla, Mongolia It was a scary start as there were no lights when I arrived, but it’s been a very good experience as the people are very friendly here. We all connect with English and I think this place has opened me up. Fatima, Uzbekistan; Hileni, Namibia; Anobis, Cuba The International Training Program (ITP) at EFLU has been wonderful as the faculty is very good and experienced. Overall… Great Fun!! Narendra Singh, Rajasthan EFLU is a small campus with a lot of involvement from everybody. I am undergoing a 5 year French program which will definitely help me in my future prospects.

LOCATION: THE EFL UNIVERSITY Hyderabad, India – 500 605, EPABX: +91-(0)40 27098131, 27098033, 27098588, 27098690, 27689400 Website: www.efluniversity.ac.in 21

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12/2/2010 8:17:42 AM

FASHION JYOTIKA NAIDU

Essential

Winter

Fashion For Men

Having the essential winter fashion for men is a must during the cold winter months. It’s about time to start thinking of your winter wardrobe. You may need to stock up or replace a few items from last year to prepare yourself for the winter chill. There are just a few things that cannot be forgotten in men’s fashion for winter. Check out the list below to make sure you are ready and trendy for the cooler weather ahead.

A nice woollen coat doesn’t seem to be leaving men’s winter fashion trend any time soon. Choose a classic color easy to match with just about anything. Black, grey and navy work well. The wool will keep you warm and the style will keep you up to date.

Every man needs gloves. Don’t let your hands become dry and chapped from the cold winter air. Keep them warm in a nice pair of leather gloves. When the temperatures start to drop, your hands will thank you and so will the woman you touch.

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A scarf isn’t just for sissies. Real men wear scarves. They are great for adding a little extra warmth around the neck, mouth, and nose, as needed. Choose a nice cashmere for softness and warmth. You can either purchase a neutral color scarf to match your outerwear or choose a few different ones to compliment your different outfits.

Wear layers. Layering your outfits is key for men’s winter fashion. Keep many shirts and sweaters that wear well together. A button down shirt can fit nicely under a fitted sweater and look casual. Men may also want to wear an open sweater or zip up hoodie with their favorite T-shirt. Adding layers allows you to continue wearing some of your favorite shirts from summer. The opportunities are endless.

Every man needs a winter hat. Choose a hat that covers the ears and all of your head. Heat escapes through the head, wearing a warm hat will keep the heat in and keep you warm. Some men go for a classic skull hat, worn close to the head, the new look is to wear an aviator hat with ear flaps. There are many different options in men’s winter fashion hats. Finding one that fits your style shouldn’t be hard.

Boots are a must-have. Choose a pair of cool boots. Make sure they are properly padded. They will keep your feet warm and protected. You can opt for a classic pair of many leather styles.

Whatever you choose, don’t forget that you need to get manly this time of the year & provide warmth for your girl. So you need to be ‘warmed up’ enough.

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12/2/2010 8:17:54 AM

FASHION

During winter, staying fashionable and elegant, while keeping warm at the same time may be difficult! In order to keep warm, we often find ourselves wearing several layers of clothes and you end up looking big and bulky. Fortunately, there are a number of things we can do to keep warm during the execution of a fashion statement. The Fall trends like leggings, sweater dresses and multiple layers are helping to heat up the cold season. If you resisted the 80s flashbacks before, it’s finally time to embrace these pieces as functional favourites – stylish leggings, pantyhose, boots and segment. Choose between many design colors and designs. Well, there certainly are many sizzling cashmere, tweed and woolen coats out there that cause heads spinning. Wear your fashion everywhere – work, parties, restaurants, even shopping. Jyotika Naidu, Hyderabad Life style writer shares some tips for bundling up without bulking up this season.

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Create Creat eate shape & stay sleek Clothes that keep you warm can also be Clothe flattering! atterin Resist the urge to pile it on, and instead focus focu on balancing out thicker pieces. For exa example, rather than pairing wide leg trousers with a puffy coat, opt for a tailored or crop cropped jacket instead. Or stay slim on the botto bottom with tall boots. They are a winter essentia that will not only keep you warm, essential they’ll the help you to look long and lean. Show Sh off your silhouette by avoiding overpowering overpowe turtlenecks, and elongate with v-neck v-nec or cowl neck sweater dresses and tunics. Anoth Another thing to consider is coat length. Pairing a shorter s coat with tall boots will keep the ey eye moving from head to toe, while a longer long nger length lengt coat should be worn with shoes.

Be bold & choose classics Make a style statement with a signature coat and bright accessories. Your outerwear should be outstanding after all, it’s the one piece you’ll wear almost every single day this season! When it comes to winter, it’s smart to invest in basic colors like black, grey, navy and brown, but if you want a coat that will be eye-catching, consider black and white. Not only is this a popular color combination, it will also work well with almost everything you wear. And remember, this season skin is out, so you’re free to cover up as much as you’d like. When you’re wearing a dress, add a wrap or a cardigan for extra warmth under a dress coat, and pull on a pair of dark tights to keep your legs from losing heat.

Wrap up & add accessories Escape from the sea of black, and add color to your outerwear with winter weather accessories. Grab onto a pair of glamorous gloves — ones with special details highlight your hands like a bracelet. Scarves are the season’s necklaces, so find the color that flatters you most, and wear it near your face everyday. Ruffle scarves add romance to any outfit, while wide scarves are extra warm and cozy. You can wrap up in a piece that does double duty. Scarf vests and knit collars serve as functional fashions that will keep you toasty on top.

Color up Warmer colors for the winter include: red, different shades of blue, shades of green like green water and an assortment of shades of purple. You can mix and blend these colors for a flashier look. Silvery grey tones are a popular choice.

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12/2/2010 8:18:13 AM

FEsTIVE FEATURE

The festivities spent with family and friends are the most cherished moments for most of us. It is a force that connects us together and a bond that strengthens over time. These are a few metaphysical factors that create harmony even as we run through an event called life. As the New Year beckons, we celebrate one of the most anticipated and loved events in the calendar year...

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Christmas!

Soumya Mukherjee

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12/2/2010 8:18:22 AM

One beautiful winter evening at a place called Bethlehem, a child was born. Hailed as the king of Jews, he was born in a stable and angels spread the word about his birth to the villagers. Three famous magi arrived at the auspicious time with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant Jesus. Thus we now share this delightful day with the entire world on the 25th of December every year. There might be many theories about how Jesus and his birth, but the celebrations continue. The famous stories about the three Magi have given birth to the tradition of gifts. I can confidently say that very few kids do not write letters to Santa, or wait for the chance to sit on his lap and giggle at his Ho Ho Ho...

“Christmas is a celebration of sharing love, peace, and oneself with others” says Father Louis of St. Mary’s College, Secunderabad. He says, “God shared Jesus with us. He brought with him love, peace, a sense of belonging and he decided to be amongst us as a part of our family. Jesus was an incarnation of absolute love and a personification of sacrifice and humility giving him the name Prince of Peace”.

Christmas in Hyderabad is a gala occasion with a plethora of events happening all around. However, the main and most important celebration happens in the churches, where men, women and children come together at mass. When asked about the importance of mass, Father Louis says, “Mass is the source and summit of Christian worship. The supreme sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is celebrated at every mass. Being the same all across the world, mass is the unifying factor amongst the Christians. The Christmas mass is unique in itself, since it celebrates the birth of God as a human child who came down to earth to be with us and raise us.” Carols are an integral part of Christmas celebrations. They take us back 2000 years to the birth of Christ and his humble

beginning at the stable. The feeling of being close to Jesus is unmatched and all irrespective of their ages love carols. Carols like Rudolf the red nosed reindeer have enthralled the generations and even though the tunes remain the same, they have become timeless tales and a part of folklore. Shirley, an employee of Google says, “What child is this” is one of those carols which help me connect with my childhood and the words make me feel closer to Christ”. The entire city of Hyderabad is engulfed in lights during this festival and the red and green decorations are a sight to watch. The season is also a boon for businesses as all kinds of gifts fly off shelves and restaurants and hotels are filled with people on holidays.

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______ _ _ m e r r y _ _ c h r i s t m a s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ FEsTIVE FEATURE

Get a Christmas tree. (General bazaar: Rs 300 onwards)

Here are a few tips to decorate your house without much extravaganza:

Buy a hanging paper star where electric bulbs can be inserted. Get cotton (as snow), shiny bells, candies and little gift boxes to decorate the tree.

Involve your entire family in the decorations and make it a fun activity Use shimmering LED lights. (Available at almost any store in this season, and it is pretty affordable)

Use a lot of ribbons. (Any colors will do but make sure you have a healthy amount of red and green) Check YouTube for the various videos available for decoration ideas. (But try to be innovative)

Make an artificial snow man. (since real snow will not be available in Hyderabad)

Christmas is a time for jubilations. It brings people together. This idea is clear because the smile & happiness on everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faces is just priceless & reminds you why this festival is the perfect sign-off to a satisfying year.

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12/2/2010 8:18:23 AM

best Cakes in Town!

FESTIVE FEATURE

The

The Christmas cake is one of those unforgettable childhood experiences that we carry on forever. Here is a list of bakers that make the best cakes in town, those will definitely make this Christmas a mouth watering extravaganza.

1.Sweet Nirvana

One of the latest entries in the market, Sweet Nirvana took the city by storm with its unique taste and variety. Apart from the regular flavors like pineapple and butterscotch, the bakery has a wide range of cakes that caress the taste buds. The Rum Filled Cake is bound to garner interest and for a measly price of about Rs 700+taxes, I am definitely ordering mine in advance.

2. The Ofen

Soumya Mukherjee

Winners of the best confectionary at the Times Food Guide Award 2009, these guys really love feeding people, delicious cakes being just one of them. Christmas is celebrated here with heartfelt joy and the cakes come in various sizes and shapes.

General flavors: Rs 350+taxes Chocolate varieties: Rs 600+taxes

Fresh cream cakes: Rs 780+taxes Cheese cakes: Rs 1200 onwards Rum Filled Cakes: Rs 1300 onwards (order based)

# 105, Kavuri Hills, Next to State Art Gallery, Madhapur 040 42414343 www.sweetnirvana.in

# 49, Road No.10 Banjara Hills 040 23372205, 23372235 www.theofen.com

3. Deli9

Being one of the most popular joints in the city is not an easy task, and Deli9 has shown time and again that they are here to stay. Their plum cakes can bring a smile on the gravest of faces and is the ideal gift to spread the Christmas spirit this month.

4. Karachi bakery

Karachi bakery seems to have been around since time incarnate. As old as my dad, this bakery still manages to keep its items as beautiful as my little niece. If you give them a heads up of one day, you can dream up a cake, and Karachi bakery will deliver exactly that.

Chocolate truffle: Rs 681 Black magic: Rs 744 Plum cakes: Rs 75 per 200 gms.

Fresh cream cakes: Rs 250 onwards Belgian chocolate and Chocolate delight: Rs 500

Opp City Center, Rd. No.1, Banjara Hills 040 65506662 www.fusion-foods.in

Opposite Mozamjahi Market 040 24737533, 24732786 www.karachibakery.com

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12/2/2010 8:18:25 AM

FEsTIVE FEATURE

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s All You can eat, Buffs! Hyderabad is known as the gastronomic capital of India. The feasts of Christmas in the city add to this unique title during the festive season, with their delectable tastes. Though exclusive Christmas buffets are available in many places, the general buffets in town are master classes of their own. At Hyderabad Life, we checked out quite a few restaurants and have come up with a comprehensive list of buffets that will not only satiate your taste buds but also make you keep coming back for more. Soumya Mukherjee

WESTIN Located in the heart of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tech park, this hotel offers both business and leisure eateries. The Sunday gourmet brunch buffet features live cooking stations with house specialties like dimsums, pasta, wok noodles, bread and cheese, and much more.

Lunch- Rs. 850

TAJ KRISHNA(Encounters) Try the exquisite favorites from all over the world like pastas, pizzas, pancakes and dosas. Sip on som some refreshing drinks while you savor the fancy flavors in the grandeur of the Taj dining.

Dinner Rs. 1000 Lunch- Rs. 900

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12/2/2010 8:18:27 AM

LEONIA Start your day out at Leonia with indoor and outdoor activities, splash around in the pool, take some surfing lessons and gorge on some sumptuous food. The buffet covers an array of veg and non-veg items along with desserts after which you would certainly regard this as your favorite fun spot.

Day Outing: Rs 750 (includes lunch and high tea)

NOVOTEL ‘The Square’ offers a lavish spread with both local cuisines as well as international popularities. With its contemporary European décor and a pool side seating option you will definitely regard this as a signature dining experience.

GREEN PARK Famous for its seasonal food festivals, Green Park enjoys its own unique place in the buffets available in the city. Its popular midnight Biryani is for folks with raging appetites after late night parties.

Dinner – Rs 275

ANGEETHI Feeling a bit filmy? Check out Angeethi for its filmy décor and tadke wala Punjabi food. Even though it is an Indian joint, we just could not help but put this restaurant in this list during Christmas.

Lunch – Rs 276

Sunday brunch buffet- Rs. 1350

100 Degrees INDIJOE’S If you are the kind of person who likes their sizzlers and steaks exactly how they dream it, this is the place for you. One of the best deals in the city, you will rarely come across a buffet so amazing.

‘100 Degrees’ is steak and sizzler royalty. But few know about their variety including Italian, Mexican or Continental. The spread is multi-cuisine in nature. As with any of the Ohri’s buffets, they have over 30 items in their buffet spread and you will be spoilt for choice

Lunch – Rs 250

Lunch – Rs 276 and d Rs. 351(weekdays and weekends respectively) pectively)

MAINLAND CHINA HINA China’s gift to Hyderabad! Begin egin your meal with some jasmine tea and continue this is culinary journey with some of the tastiest Chinese e food available in the city.

Lunch – Rs 275 (weekdays weekdays only)

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12/2/2010 8:18:30 AM

REAL ESTATE

Home is where your heart lives. Keeping this thought foremost in our minds, we at Hyderabad Life are determined to keep you updated about the latest projects in and around the city.

RV Nirmaan RV Nirmaan Pvt. Ltd., one of the prime builders in the city who have given us buildings like the Brindavanam at Miyapur, are back with 2 new projects. The latest in their kitty are RV Avaneendra at Miyapur and RV Manyata at Chandanagar. Close to a lot of the company offices operating in Hitec City, these projects are adjacent to National Highway 9, thus making the location ideal for corporates to make their homes in.

Soumya Mukherjee

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12/2/2010 8:18:33 AM

PROPOSED CLUB HOUSE

PROPOSED SWIMMING POOL

These GHMC certified ready-tooccupy flats also have bulk supply of water from HMWS & SB (water board). The project promises a park, landscaped gardens, swimming pool, club house building and much more. “The builder’s strength lies in the resale value, rental value and the maintenance of his buildings. Thus, even after 22 years in the business, we strive to build structures with the best in quality, amenities and specifications without compromising on completion deadlines,” says Mr. Ramachandra Reddy, MD of RV Nirmaan Pvt Ltd when asked about how he keeps up with the changing times in real estate today.

CONTACT: RV Nirmaan Pvt. Ltd., Road No.3, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. 9246500414, 9246506360, 9246503274, 9294405950

OUR VERDICT: MUST CHECK TODAY PRICES: AVANEENDRA: Rs 2500/- per sq ft. MANYATA: Rs 2400/- per sq ft.

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12/2/2010 8:18:34 AM

HOT SPOT

FULL VOLUME Antara Pal Its time Hyderabad had a Music instruments store where people selling them know what they are talking about! Introducing Hyderabad’s largest and most elusive music instrument store: Full Volume – The Music Instruments Hub, run & managed by musicians! The owners of this store are Suman, Anjani and Prabhu who have been active and influential in the music circuit for over a decade now. All of them are from the band Sledge and now are currently playing with Taksha. Full Volume caters to a huge section of musicians and music enthusiasts by offering them a wide range of Music Instruments in both the Western and the Indian categories. Located in the heart of the city on Banjara Hills Rd 3, this upbeat store offers a wide range of music instruments spread from Electronic Keyboards, Digital and Acoustic Pianos, Electric, Bass and Acoustic guitars, Amplifiers, Drums kits, Percussion Pads, Synthesizers and more. They also sell Indian Ethnic Instruments & accessories like Tuners, Metronomes, Capos, Strings, Picks, Violins, Guitar Stands, Cables etc.

Brands Available: DEAN Guitars, Schecter, Fernandes Guitars, ESP, BC Rich, Sonor, Mapex, Tama, Ibanez, Fender, Yamaha, Casio, Paiste, Zildjian, Vic Firth, Solar, Digitech, Boss, Zoom, Roland, Marshall, Laney, Randall & others

Address: Full Volume – The Music Instruments Hub 2nd Floor, Plot No: 1 Road 3, Banjara Hills Diagonally opposite to Times of India office Phone – 9866755724, 9849144400, 040-23355779 info@fullvolume.in fullvolumerecords@gmail.com

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COMPREHENSIVE INFRA DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS Project Concept Feasibility Studies Research and Analysis Procurement of Technology & equipment Implementation Project management through the project life.

St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Auditorium CSR Infrastructures Private Ltd. is a leading project development company that specializes in a holistic approach to infrastructure development projects. Our diverse team of professionals and subject matter experts handle everything from planning to execution.

CORPORATE OFFICE: H.No: 8-2-277/24 Plot No: 24,Union Bank Colony,Road

INFRASTRUCTURES PVT LTD

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No: 3, Banjara Hills,Hyderabad, Ph No: 040-23540048. Email: csreddysna@yahoo.com

12/2/2010 8:18:52 AM

THE HYDERABAD

POWER LIST!

At Hyderabad Life, we always try to bring to you the very essence of our beloved city. And we look at things from a different perspective. So continuing our penchant for celebrating the zeitgeist of Hyderabad, we bring to you the Hyderabad Power List – a veritable who’s who of personalities who have added to the pride of the city! Once the decision to compile a list of the most powerful Hyderabadis was made, our research team has been spending all its waking moments setting up a Power database and looking out for Hyderabadis who are letting their actions do the talking! But who makes it to this power list? We define power as influence. In simplest terms, it is how much impact the actions of one person can have on others – the more impact, the more influence. For this power list, we are considering Hyderabadis across all walks of life – business, media, politics, government services, social service, entertainment, law, academia, arts, fashion, music – this league of extra ordinary gentlemen/women are all together a different school of thought or perhaps institutions within themselves. So let’s recognise the contribution of these movers and shakers of Hyderabad in our lives. If you would like to nominate somebody you know, please write in to us at info@hyderabadlife.in

KEEP WATCHING THIS SPACE! life_dec_011210.indd 36

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12/2/2010 8:18:55 AM

FOOD GUIDE

It’s that time of the year again- It’s Christmas! An occasion to enjoy fine food, and homemade wine. Savour an interlude with some simple and sumptuous recipes. It is said that, the chef, whether in a restaurant or the home, is a maker of fantasies; so enjoy making some of your own!

Simple Simon’s Turkey INGREDIENTS:

STEPS

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Place turkey in the pot, and cook until evenly brown. Stir in onion, and cook until tender.

1 pound ground turkey 1 onion, chopped 2 cups water 1 can crushed tomatoes 1 can kidney beans - drained, rinsed, and mashed 1 tablespoon garlic, minced

Pour water into the pot. Mix in tomatoes, kidney beans, and garlic. Season chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.

2 tablespoons chili powder 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Easy Egg nog

Noel’s Nooner

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs 1 cup milk 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup rum, brandy, whiskey, sherry, or cognac 1 cup heavy cream

3/4 part. Dark Rum 3/4 part. Dry Red Wine 3/4 part. Gin 1 part. Orange Juice Lime Slice

1/2 cup crushed ice

Mixing instructions:

Put all ingredients into blender. Cover. Press button 2 for 5 seconds. If you prefer warm eggnog, leave out the ice and warm milk and cream, adding them slowly through the opening in the top to make a creamy mixture. Sprinkle nutmeg on each serving. Makes 4 servings.

Mix all ingredients, except lime slice, with cracked ice in a shaker or blender, pour into a chilled Old Fashioned glass, and garnish with lime slice.

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FOOD GUIDE Wine Chicken in garlic chilly butter sauce INGREDIENTS:

GARLIC CHILI BUTTER SAUCE

340 gm chicken breast (boneless) 1 tsp salt 1 egg white, whisked 1/2 tbsp cornflour 4 tbsp oil 1 onion, chopped ½ tsp red wine Garlic chili butter sauce (Recipe follows)

1/3 cup dry white wine 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 large onion, minced ¼ tsp chili paste ¼ cup heavy (whipping) cream 1 cup, unsalted butter

Steps Marinate the chicken with salt, pepper, 1/2 tbsp cornflour. Keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and stir- fry the chicken for a few minutes. Keep aside. In the same pan, sauté’ the onions, stir in the chilly butter sauce, wine and the chicken. Remove from heat; transfer into a serving bowl and serve hot.

Salt to taste In a small saucepan, simmer the wine, garlic, onion, and chili paste until almost dry. Stir in the heavy cream and cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whip in the butter in small amounts in a low flame to form the sauce. Add salt to taste.

Cinnamon Bubble Bread INGREDIENTS FOR BREAD: 3 cups bread flour or plain flour 1 tsp yeast 2 tsp honey or sugar 1 tsp salt 1 cup warm water 2 tbsp melted butter or oil

INGREDIENTS FOR DIPPING: 2 tbsp butter, melted 80 gm castor sugar or 4 tbsp honey 1 tsp cinnamon or powdered cardamom

DIRECTIONS FOR BREAD: Add sugar, salt and yeast to the water (in a large bowl) Set aside for 15 minutes until the yeast is creamy and frothy. Pour the butter or oil and add the flour bit by bit. Keep incorporating the flour each time you add it and gradually you’ll have a nice dough. Knead until the dough is smooth and can be shaped into a ball (around 10 minutes) Oil a bowl and roll the dough in it. Cover with a polythene bag or a damp cloth. Let it rise for an hour or a hour and a half until double in size. Butter a non-stick cake tin (around 9 cm) Punch down the dough to release the air trapped. Roll into 12 balls (around golf ball size) and dip into the dipping. (recipe below) Randomly toss each ball anywhere in the tin. It’ll rise and stick to each other. Set aside for a half hour Preheat the oven to 200C Stick the tin into the oven for 25 minutes. Once done, test by tapping the bread. If it sounds hollow, it’s all done!

DIRECTIONS FOR DIPPING: Add the sugar/honey and cinnamon or cardamom to the butter Taste to check if it’s sweet enough Start dipping

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12/2/2010 8:18:58 AM

White Chocolate Cake ( Serves 2-3) INGREDIENTS:

Steps

3 tablespoons butter, softened 1/4 cup white sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (you can mix butterscotch extract too) 1/4 cup milk 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 pinch salt White Chocolate dressing ( Recipe Follows)

Grease a Microwaveable bowl with ample white oil and butter. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and milk; blend together. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt; blend into the mixture until smooth. Pour into greased bowl. Cover and cook in the microwave on high for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched. Since all microwaves cook differently, adjust the cooking time to accommodate your machine. To serve, let the cake cool five minutes, then cover the bowl with a plate and turn both bowl and plate upside down so the cake falls onto the plate. Slice the cake horizontally through the center. Pour the white chocolate dressing between the halves, and even it out on the top.

WHITE CHOCOLATE DRESSING 5 Milky bar chocolates ( 5*100 gm) Half cup of milk Melt the chocolates in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, and add half cup of milk. Stir continuously to retain the consistency as it tends to solidify while cooling down.

Traditional Fruit Cake INGREDIENTS (SERVES 30)

Steps

500g sultanas 1 x 375g pkt raisins, coarsely chopped 3 x 100g pkts mixed glace cherries, coarsely chopped 1 x 300g pkt currants 250ml (1 cup) brandy Melted butter, to grease 250g butter, at room temperature 155g (3/4 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar 4 eggs, at room temperature 115g (1/3 cup) breakfast marmalade 300g (2 cups) plain flour 75g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour 1 tsp mixed spice Blanched almonds, to decorate 80ml (1/3 cup) brandy, extra

Combine the sultanas, raisins, cherries, currants and brandy in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside, stirring occasionally, for 6 hours to macerate. Preheat oven to 150Â°C. Brush a round 22cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and sides with 2 layers of non-stick baking paper to reach 6cm above the edge of the pan. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until combined (the mixture may curdle at this stage - this is due to the high proportion of eggs to butter and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t affect the result). Add the marmalade and beat until well combined. Add the combined flour and mixed spice, and fold until just combined. Stir in the sultana mixture. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Tap the pan on the benchtop to settle the mixture. Arrange the almonds over the top. Wrap the outside of the pan with 3 layers of newspaper, rising slightly higher than the baking paper. Secure with kitchen string. Bake, covering with foil if necessary to prevent overbrowning, for 3 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Pour the extra brandy over the hot cake. Wrap the pan in a clean tea towel and set aside overnight to cool completely

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12/2/2010 8:18:58 AM

FOOD review

Urban Asia

Urban Asia is the newest Pan-Asian cuisine restaurant on the block. It features a unique menu of fusion cuisine with the freshest ingredients available blending authentic flavors from the regions of Thailand, Japan, India, Vietnam, China and more.

he chef’s signature dishes are the Batter Fried prawns with Wasabi Mayo, Makow Chicken & the Standing Pomfret. The Water Chestnuts in a plum and honey sauce were delectable, the Lamb Slices in Hunan Sauce were heavenly, so was the Kung Pow Chicken. For the vegetarians, the Corn Cubes, The Shitake buttons and white fungus in thai paste & the Dimsums are a must-try. The food bursts with the nice, approachable flavours of lime, chilli, tamarind, cardamom and the likes. The Sushi is a real seller with excellent veggie variants as well. The whole atmosphere is very relaxed and the place looks simple but classy. You can visit it for a business lunch, a romantic dinner or for that matter, a quick bite. Oh yes, the portions are very generous too. The aim of the restaurant is to make guests eat healthy. You will be impressed with the easy-nomenclatured menu, especially its health section. If you loved Pan-Asian cuisine before, you’ll love it even more now. If you haven’t had the right experience, you owe it to yourself to come see how Urban Asia is redefining the dining experience.

Urban Asia, 3rd Floor, Next to ICICI Bank, Road No. 36, Jubilee Hills Ph: 040 6555 6888 41

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12/2/2010 8:19:26 AM

CELEB

MISS MESMERIZING! SHREYA DHANWANTHARY

When Shreya Dhanwanthary walks in, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but be mesmerized. Her beautiful complexion, long tresses, elegant step, and bohemian attitude are making her a fashion icon for many young girls in town, her looks could make her the muse of choice for a great artist. She can captivate you with her looks & at the same time, engage you rapt in a conversation. Hyderabad Life unravels more...

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12/2/2010 8:19:36 AM

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12/2/2010 8:19:42 AM

We all know the milestones. Modelling, Miss India, Movies... tell us more about the journey. I’m still experiencing the journey and so far it’s been a mix of bumps and smooth roads. But there is still a long way to go. Take us down memory lane. Tell us about life growing up… I was born here in Hyderabad & even lived in Delhi for a while, but I grew up in the Middle East. We moved around Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Sharjah and it was amazing there because it was a fusion of so many different cultures and I got to experience a lot of the world’s best in one place! Was a career in acting always on the cards? It was always in my secret dreams box and I figured it’d never open because I was a good student and thought that I’d eventually make something of myself in that field. It never occurred to me that “hey, I can actually do something I enjoy”! Silly, I know! Has being a Telugu girl in the industry made things easy or difficult for you? No difference! Though I thought I’d have the home turf advantage of being actually able to speak, read and write the language but yeah, no difference! What has been your best experience in the industry so far? The fact that I’m still here... [smiles] Did your family support you in your endeavours? Oh yes! They would have supported me no matter what path I chose to take. Are you the ‘gharelu’ or ‘glamour’ type? If this is about the choice of roles I’d like to portray, so both and everything in between. I’m a bit greedy. In movies, I don’t want to be stereotyped. It would be a minus point for me to get framed like that. In real life, I consider myself to be a very radical individual. What is your dream role? I hope to have my own dream role instead of trying to fill someone else’s shoes which are already beautifully occupied!

What are you into, apart from movies? Music, dance, books… not in that order though! I tend to gravitate toward anything that is remotely related to creativity. What is your idea of fun? If given a choice to skip work for a day, how would you spend it? Family, friends and board games! Life in Hyderabad... I used to come here for summer holidays from school and it used to be monsoon here, so since then and till now it’s been wonderful. What’s your favourite place in town? My home How do you keep yourself in shape? Proper exercise and the right diet Your beauty mantra... Well the proper exercise and the right diet pretty much takes care of the beauty aspect. Plus being happy helps too, I smile a lot! If you were written about in the newspaper, on the front page, what would the headline say? Hopefully, nothing bad! One actor/actress you would love to get naughty with... Alexander Skarsgard Your idea of a Perfect guy… Perfect guy? Yeah right! Would you make the first move if you liked a guy? Sure Your idea of a perfect date... Disneyland

Craziest thing ever done – Walked from one corner of the city to the other at 3 am! One thing no one knows about you – The correct way to spell my surname, no one ever gets it right... ever!

Firsts Pet – Never had a pet Crush – The Backstreet Boys Car – Toyota Corolla Good habits- Apart from losing my temper, I’m pretty much awesome! Bad habits- Like I said, I lose my temper. Quite often. Three things you are never without – My watch, kada and chappal! Dogs or Cats? – Dogs Tom or Jerry – Oh, please don’t ask me to separate them! Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck – Donald Duck If you could have lunch with anyone (real of fictitious/ from any time period, dead or alive), which three people would you choose and why? Aww, just 3? Okay, let me think. G.B Shaw, Albert Einstein, Katherine Hepburn and JRD Tata, there are many people who’re so iconic like Golda Meir, Indira Gandhi, Sardar V. Patel... too many to count! If you could trade places with any other person for a week – My life keeps me happily busy, so I wouldn’t trade with anyone.

What if your partner cheated on you? What an ominous question! Infidelity is a no-go. 3 things you don’t understand about men... I’ve never really thought about gender based idiosyncrasies so... 3 things that men don’t understand about women… Again, same answer! When alone... what do you do? Nothing risqué that you’re hoping for anyway... [smiles]

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Hopes for 2011 To be happily busy! Resolutions for 2011 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never kept resolutions, keeping hopes and dreams are more than enough hard work!

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SPECIAL FEATURE

The Hottest Party Destinations the World Around! New Year’s is the day that is talked about for the rest of the year to go through. This is one day that calls for larger-than-life celebrations and people all around are willing to travel to places around the globe just to experience that one awesome party! Naveen Sake explores the most happening party destinations this year!

Times Square, New York Copacabana Beach, City, USA Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Where better to party for New Year’s than the city that never sleeps? Hosting the biggest event of the world, with its tradition dating back to over 100 years, the big ball descending in Times Square is watched by millions of people worldwide. The pyrotechnics are absolutely astounding and the celebrations are followed by the vast spread of the hottest New York clubs and restaurants. Every single person is on a high vibe of energy and it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be there at Times Square for New Year’s Eve.

Imagine an entire beach turned into one huge party! With different music around to cater to different flavours, the carnival never lets you get your tempo down, and you know when you are surrounded by the most beautiful Brazilian women, the party is ON!

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Sydney, Australia

Disney World, Florida, USA

These guys definitely know how to celebrate, and millions of visitors & travellers celebrate the countdown down under! The city begins to swarm with people from around the world to watch this exotic island of a country bring in the New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s with their unique flavour. Sydney Harbour is the place to be to watch the brilliant fireworks.

No matter how wild the party animals we all think we are, Disney World still remains one of the favourite destinations for the New Year. It makes the celebrations all the more magical. Your favourite Disney characters, street parties, stalls of amazing food, joy rides, the experience is pure exhilaration for the entire family.

Goa, India

Champs-Elysees, Paris

The destination party land of the whole world, Goa is one of the most energetic places during New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Eve. Come December & the place is booked. Everyone with a wild party animal in them comes to Goa to let go and party the night away. Beach side shacks, bonfires, fireworks, great food & drink â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is how the world gets down to party!

This place is heaven for all the romantics of the world, as they come from Europe and the world to walk in the gardens around the magnificent Eiffel tower, sipping French wine and enjoying the elaborate & spellbinding fireworks as the tower is masterfully lit up amongst the starlit skies.

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London Eye, London

Las Vegas, USA

Europe’s envy and one of the most happening places during New Year’s, the London Eye is loved by partygoers although people consider it expensive by average standards. It is a visual treat to celebrate New Year’s in London. The sheer joy all around will make it a memorable experience. Millions of Londoners & tourists throng Where better to party for New Year’s than the city that this place because of the significant fact that London never sleeps? Hosting the biggest event of the world, is home to the GMT, the place from where world time is with its tradition dating back to over 100 years, the big measured. ball descending in Times Square is watched by millions of people worldwide. The pyrotechnics are absolutely astounding and the celebrations are followed by the vast spread of the hottest New York clubs and restaurants. Every single person is on a high vibe of energy and it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be there at Times Square for New Year’s Eve.

For New Year’s, Sin City becomes a new layout as the main street is made open only for pedestrians. Visitors get to walk into numerous clubs. The streets are filled with Vegas entertainment, shows and of course the fireworks are going to blow you away crazy! The thousands of revelling travellers who give you company partying on Where better to party for New Year’s than the city that the Vegas main make your trip worthwhile. Drinking is never sleeps? Hosting the biggest event of the world, permitted on the streets for this one very special night. with its tradition dating back to over 100 years, the big ball descending in Times Square is watched by millions of people worldwide. The pyrotechnics are absolutely astounding and the celebrations are followed by the vast spread of the hottest New York clubs and restaurants. Every single person is on a high vibe of energy and it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be there at Times Square for New Year’s Eve.

The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany

Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan

Times Square, New York City, USA

Europe definitely knows how to celebrate. This place is called the “Party Mile” where a mile long street is turned into an open air massive party. Catering to the visitors’ absolute enthusiasm are German beer tents, Live DJ plays, fireworks, stalls with all sorts of entertainment, laser and light shows, this place just comes alive with excitement during New Year’s!

Times Square, New York City, USA

Where better to party for New Year’s than the city that never sleeps? Hosting the biggest event of the world, with its tradition dating back to over 100 years, the big ball descending in Times Square is watched by millions of people worldwide. The pyrotechnics are absolutely astounding and the celebrations are followed by the vast spread of the hottest New York clubs and restaurants. 50Every single person is on a high vibe of energy and it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be there at Times Square for New Year’s Eve. life_dec_011210.indd 50

Times Square, New York City, USA

The hub of Japan’s entertainment and fashion – Shibuya throws the grandest and most lively parties. A party puller for all the Japanese and the tourists, visitors get to see the traditional countdown outside a train station. The clubs and vast choice of bars are a youngster’s paradise. Apart from all this, in the cultural setting of Japan, the shrines are must-visit places around this time.

Times Square, New York City, USA Where better to party for New Year’s than the city that never sleeps? Hosting the biggest event of the world, with its tradition dating back to over 100 years, the big ball descending in Times Square is watched by millions of people worldwide. The pyrotechnics are absolutely astounding and the celebrations are followed by the vast spread of the hottest New York clubs and restaurants. Every single person is on a high vibe of energy and it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be there at Times Square for New Year’s Eve. 12/2/2010 8:19:58 AM

Get Noticed! Get your Party Featured in Hyd Life!

Call us at 040 2354 0048 and get your ladies club/kitty party covered in our exclusive section!

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WEEKEND TRAVEL

Ramappa

Temple

A monument hallowed by time and faith

In the midst of Palampet valley lies a breathtaking medley of intricacy and beauty, erotica and religion. Ramappa Temple is indeed the pinnacle of Kakatiya dynasty architecture, where faith and art mingle in stone.

- Minhaj Khan

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Located 233 km from Hyderabad, an inscription in the complex dates it back to the year 1213, during the reign of Ganapati Deva. The inscription mentions three shrines – to Rudreswara, Kateswara, and Kameswara,of which the latter two are in ruins. The shrine, officially known as the Ramalingeswara Temple, is popularly called Ramappa after its architect, who constructed the temple under the orders of General Recherla Rudra. It is perhaps a measure of complexity that it took forty long years for the monument to be constructed. The complex and the village are surrounded by acres of spectacular paddy fields on all sides, and our photographer clicked away, capturing the ethereal scenery. During the reign of Ganapati Deva, these fields did not exist. The area was a forest used as a hunting ground by the Kakatiya nobles. Ramappa was originally a forest temple. As centuries passed, the forests were hacked away, and the fertile soil was put to good use. As the main gate lies in ruins, the Life team entered from the west gate, which is accessed directly from Palampet village. As we entered the lawns, we were greeted by the harmonious chirping of birds and chattering of monkeys. Indeed, Lord Hanuman’s servants are emblematic with most

of the magnificent temples, signifying prosperity and divine protection. In fact, the temple has survived centuries of war and natural disasters, including a major earthquake in the 17th century. The temple is built on a 6-foot high platform in a cruciform plan exhibiting Lord Shiva’s royal residence, the Himalaya mountains. Elaborate carvings are found everywhere, depicting events from Hindu mythology. Erotic, yet graceful dancing Goddesses, along with guardian lions, adorn the pillars. The east facing sanctum is surrounded with pilasters crowned with Dravidian and Nagara shikharas in an alternating fashion. There is an additional entrance from the north leading to the Navaranga mandapa in front of the sanctum. The roof is made with bricks that are light enough to float on water! In most Shaivite temples, Nandi is usually found near the inner sanctum. However, a unique aspect of this temple is a Nandi mandapam at the entrance, with the Nandi awaiting the orders of Lord Shiva in an alert mode. Although the mandapam is damaged, the imposing 9-foot high idol remains intact. The Shivalingam in the inner sanctum is also an imposing 9-foot high idol. The ceiling is divided into compartments by columns from the bottom, and is carved with intricate patterns.

HOW TO GET THERE By road Take a bus to Warangal/Hanamkonda (twin cities, two different bus depots), from where you can take a bus to Mulug. Driving down all the way from Hyderabad is also recommended. The total journey takes less than five hours.

By rail Take a train to Warangal, from where you can take a bus to Mulug (pronounced as ‘Malugu’) village. From there, you can hire an auto or taxi to the temple.

Food and lodging We wouldn’t recommend that you stay for more than a day, unless you plan to visit other places of interest as well. Ashoka Hotel in Warangal is an excellent choice for maximum comfort. Apart from that, there are several lodges around the area. There is also an affordable guest house at Mulug. The food available at Mulug is typically South Indian, although biryani is also served. The choice in food at Warangal is much larger, with a broad platter of cuisines. We highly recommend dining at the Ashoka Hotel for its excellent savour and variety in choice!

Maha Shivratri is celebrated for three days annually at Ramappa. Lakhs of devotees from all over the state and beyond take part in the festival, a truly spectacular sight of religiosity.

TOURIST OFFICES FOR INFORMATION APTDC, Yatri Nivas Complex, Sardar Patel Road, Secundrabad Tel: 843931, 816375, 843932 Hotel Ashoka - Kakatiya Hotels Pvt. Ltd. 6-1-242, Main Road Hanamkonda Warangal 506015 Tel: +91-870-2578491, 6692220, 22, 23, 24

QUICK CHECK When to go Anytime throughout the year, except during Maha Shivratri, unless you plan to go as a devotee.

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What is nearby? Ramappa Lake This human-made tank is a true engineering marvel of the 13th century, where an earthen dam, around 2000 feet long, connects the hills to form a lake. It is a remarkable place, where one can converse and revel in the sounds and silence of nature. A perfect spot for a picnic with family and friends, the lake also has speed boat rides at Rs 25 per head. There are also a couple of Kakatiya dynasty shrines that are semiruined. Parkhal Lake Located 50km from Warangal, it is situated amidst undulating forests and green-clad hills. Completed around 1213 AD by the Kakatiya dynasty, it is one of the best picnic spots in the state. The lake was constructed from the waters of one of the tributaries of the Krishna River. Parkhal Wildlife Sanctuary spread over an area of 90 acres around the lake, is a dwelling place for tigers, leopards, other animals, and a wide variety of birds. Eturnagaram Sanctuary This large sanctuary covers 812 sq. km. of dry deciduous mixed forests and is home to the tiger, leopard, sloth bear, nilgai, chousingha (four horned antelope), chinkara (mountain gazelle),

black buck and many bird species. The area is largely plains with some hilly terrain at an altitude ranging from 200 to 450 metres, interspersed with many streams and springs. It has teak and other trees standing at 60 feet high and above. X Temple Here lies the ruined temple of Kakatiya architecture long past its heyday. Once a glorious monument, the complex is nearly twice the size of Ramappa, with numerous shrines, all in ruins. Yet, some parts are better preserved than Ramappa itself. One section was painted in yellow and terracotta in red. At the centre of the temple, in front of the inner sanctum, lies a ruined idol of Nandi, in true Dravidian fashion. The Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) has taken charge of the area, and excavation activities are currently under progress. Thousand Pillar temple This temple was build by King Rudra Deva in 1163 in true Chalukyan style of architecture. Called the Thousand pillar temple, it actually has around 300 pillars, and stands testimony to the excellence of Vishwakarma Brahmin architecture. The temple is star shaped and triple shrined. Recent

archaeological excavations revealed well below the kalyanamandapam, which leads to the conclusion that the foundation of this wonderful structure was laid on water! Bhadrakali Temple The temple named after the goddess Bhadrakali was also built during the Kakatiya dynasty. It is located on the banks of the Bhadrakali lake and houses the deity in her several different forms and avatars, all at one place. Kolanupaka Kolanupaka is an enlivening fusion of history and religion. It was the 11th century capital of Kalyani Chalukyas and the birth place of Renukacharya, a great Veera Shaiva Saint. A great pilgrim centre for Jains, Kolanupaka has a number of ancient Jain temples, some of them over 2000 years old. A five-foot tall jade idol of Lord Mahavir is the most famous attraction, exhibiting fine craftmanship. The Jain temple is an architectural marvel, endowed with beautifully carved statues of Tirthankaras.

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GOSSIP

Susan Boyle wants to duet with Rihanna The ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ singer sees the Barbados-born beauty as one of her pop rivals, and believes the pair could work together on an R&B project, although she is unsure how it would sound. She said: “I’ve got hard competition. But there are certain types of music that you’re good at and certain types that you’re not. I mean, would I be good at R&B? I suppose you never know. “Maybe me and Rihanna could get together, I could dye my hair purple.”

Prince William to marry Kate on April 29 It has been announced that Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry on April 29 next year. The couple who revealed their engagement to the world last week will tie the knot at Westminster Abbey in London and the date will be a public holiday in the UK. The venue has extra significance for William as it was the venue for his mother Princess Diana’s funeral in September 1997. The couple were moved to choose the venue because of its staggering beauty, its 1,000 years of royal history and its relative intimacy, despite its size. William, who is second in line to the British throne, and Kate want the nuptials to be “a classic British occasion” and “a classic example of what Britain does best”. What’s more, the couple will invite 100 members of the public to their wedding via a random draw.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s weight-gain nightmare The Oscar-winning actress who had to gain 20 pounds for new film ‘Country Strong’ admitted she panicked when she became aware that she wouldn’t be able to stick to her strict diet and exercise regime. She explained, “The nightmare thing about it is I had to stop working out. At first I panicked so I would work out a bit and then I had to lie that I didn’t. I’d be on the treadmill and be like, ‘I really have to stop this. My body fell apart when we finished the movie and now I’m having problems.” However, she confessed she enjoyed being able to drink more for the role.

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Rachel Weisz’ fairytale life Rachel Weisz thinks her life is like a “fairytale”. The 40-yearold actress still loves having to get dressed up for red carpet events and promotional opportunities, and insists no part of her work feels like real life. “It’s like a fairytale. You get lent a dress and someone does your hair, does your make-up, it’s like dressing up and it’s not real, nobody looks like that when they wake up in the morning! “It’s fantasy, it’s not real life, it’s work and it’s not unpleasant. I like it.”

A sex slave in a woman’s world Sting wishes he could live as a “sex slave” in a world run by women. The Police frontman would be happy if females were the dominant gender in society with him fulfilling their erotic fantasies. The musician is famous for practicing Tantric sex. He says, “I’ll say the standard misogynist thing, I don’t like women drivers very much, but I prefer to live in a world run by women. I’d be happy being a sex slave in that kind of society and write the odd song.”

Denzel Washington’s illegal train driving Denzel Washington broke regulations by driving a train in his new movie ‘Unstoppable’. He explained, “I got to learn how to drive trains, so that was a lot of fun. It’s a powerful feeling having this mile-long monster behind you doing what you want it to do. “I don’t have a license, so it would be against regulations. In fact I’m not supposed to tell you I even drove a train!” The 55-year-old star also admitted his “ego and stupidity” took over when he decided to perform his own stunts for the film. “My ego and stupidity took over. They needed the shots with me actually up there running so I had to do it.” 56

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GOSSIP

SRK vs Aamir: Battle goes global 2011 could very well be the decisive year in the Shah Rukh KhanAamir Khan battle for one-upmanship. If all goes according to plan, next year both the superstars will go international with a film each by two of the most celebrated directors on the global map. Both films are set in Mumbai, with the city playing as large a role in the script as each of the Khans. While Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle is ready to adapt Suketu Mehta’s celebrated novel, ‘Maximum City’ to screen, Aamir is set to play the lead in Paul Schrader’s ‘X-Treme City’ to be shot in Dharavi.

Bollywood doesn’t treat women like dolls: Freida Pinto

A fake sense of morality Ex-Miss India Gul Panag will soon be seen in a women-centric film, TURNING 30, where she plays a 30-year old mature yet a fun-loving person.

Indian actress Freida Pinto, who made it to Hollywood after Slumdog Millionaire, says women are not treated like dolls in Bollywood and that she is certainly game for a Hindi movie. Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the 41st International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Freida also accused the media of sensationalising her comments on Bollywood. “I never said I don’t want to be in Bollywood. It is like a big celebration.”

Unlike her character in the film, Gul admits that she is not that bold. “Though I am also independent like my character I am not as gutsy & strong as her. I would love to live a liberated & brave life. I am also bound by certain fake sense of morality of society. But that’s how we have to be,” says the 31 year old actress.

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Messenger of Peace A R Rahman is set to perform live in the Sydney concert at Parramatta Park on January 16.

A respectable flop? After ‘Saawariya’, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has now delivered another box office debacle in ‘Guzaarish’. Those who have watched the film have appreciated it for its worth. However, all that could have gone wrong with the film did, right from the film’s title to its setting, music & the promotions. The movie found detractors at every nook and corner. Result? Not many stepped in to watch the film and even the word of mouth didn’t quite turn things around.

The concert will not just entertain a strong crowd of 70,000 people but is also aimed at promoting tolerance and peace between the Aussies and Indians Down Under. Former Oz batsman, Matthew Hayden will co-host the mega event that will have Rahman performing with 40 Indian musicians and a host of Bollywood dancers.

Kangna gets inked Kangna Ranaut has got a new tattoo on the back of her neck. She calls it the warrior angel.

Sheila Ki Sexy Jawani Sexy lass Katrina Kaif, who sizzles with oodles of attitude in the chartbuster ‘Sheila ki Jawani’ from ‘Tees Maar Khan’, says that the number is one of her raunchiest ever. What more, she does not mind being called an item girl. “It was a learning experience for me. I don`t take the song being called item number as an offense. There is exposure in the song but it is more about attitude”, she said.

Apparently she has designed the tattoo herself. Consisting of a cross, angels, wings, a crown & a sword, she says the tattoo is symbolical of her resilience & that it represents the fighter in her.

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Sonakshi in tears

American rapper lashes out at Bally Sagoo Calling Britain-based musician Bally Sagoo a ‘joker’, American Punjabi rapper Bohemia accused him of taking undue advantage of his popularity and making wrong statements in the media. ‘It is wrong to say that Bally Sagoo brought me to the limelight. I am here only because of my own talent and creativity. In fact Bally used me to gain audiences and create hype during his own shows. He is neither a musician nor a lyricist, he has not even written a single line till date,’ said Bohemia.

Deepika won’t say sorry for remarks on Ranbir

The pretty Dabangg actress was in for a rude shock when she attended an event organised by 3 NGOs in the memory of 26/11 victims in South Mumbai. Just as she was leaving a large group of people began following & touching her. Sonakshi’s bouncers immediately rushed her out while she was in tears. An eyewitness said, “The miscreants were too brash and unruly. They came too close to Sonakshi. Their behaviour was disgusting and out-of order.”

Dusky beauty Deepika Padukone has denied apologizing for the remarks she made on ex beau Ranbir Kapoor on Koffee With Karan. She said, “Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. What I said was meant in good humour, and not to offend anyone. We (Sonam, Ranbir and I) share great comfort, and are good friends. Till the time the concerned person doesn’t stop taking my calls and my friendship with him isn’t affected, I don’t think I need to bother about others.”

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GOSSIP Nenu Naa Rakshasi in final schedule The final schedule of Daggubati Rana’s upcoming Nenu Naa Rakshasi, directed by Puri Jagannath, has commenced in Thailand. The unit will shoot the climax scenes and songs in this schedule which will conclude on December 9. This is a trilingual being made in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. The film has Rana playing the role a professional killer. Ileana is the heroine with Mumaith Khan also playing a key role. Three music directors Vishal Shekar, Bappi Lahari and Viswa, are scoring music for this flick.

Charan finally joins Twitter ‘Mega Power Star’ Ram Charan Tej has finally opened a Twitter account! He joined the bandwagon of Twitter celebs hours before the worldwide release of his new movie ‘Orange’. His first tweets went out to Genelia as she was the one who talked him into joining this social network. He had over 5000 followers within 12 hours of joining. Now’s that quite an achievement! Catch him on his handle @Always Charan.

Shriya’s Spa for the visually challenged

Glam doll Shriya Saran joins the league of celebrities who deserve applause and appreciation for their humanitarian activities! The actress is planning to start an exclusive spa in Mumbai for the visually challenged. The actress said that she was always concerned about the disabled right from her childhood days. “Life is not all about money and fame; what matters is what you do for the people around!” Way to go Shriya!

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Mahesh Babu to romance Anushka & Sameera Prince Mahesh Babu has given his green signal to act in a bilingual titled Veta (also spelt Vettai) to be directed by Tamil filmmaker Lingusamy in Telugu and Tamil simultaneously. The latest buzz is that Mahesh Babu will romance two beauties Anushka and Sameera Reddy. After their combo in Kaleja, this is the second time Anushka is pairing with Mahesh Babu. Madhavan is said to be playing key roles in both versions. Yuvan Shankar Raja will score the music for the movie that is looking for a Dec 2011 release.

Magadheera to be made in 3D

One of the most successful Telugu movies ever made, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Magadheeraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; will now be released in 3D. This film has won 2 National awards, 9 State Nandi awards & is widely acclaimed commercially as well. The movie is currently being converted into the 3D format using innovative Incube technology. Next in line is another blockbuster Arundhati. Plans are on to convert 10% of theatres in the state into 3D theatres. These digital movies will not only reduce the budget cost but also provide quality picture to the audience which ultimately results in stopping piracy.

Samantha in Eega! Current industry favourite Samantha has been signed opposite Astha Chemma fame Nani in Eega, touted to be the biggest graphical extravaganza in Tollywood! This experimental movie is being directed by ace director SS Rajamouli. Kannada actor Sudeep will be the antagonist. The shooting is progressing at a brisk pace & lots of high-end equipment is being used in the making of this movie. This movie has raised a lot of expectation among the industry circles! Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wishing it all the luck!

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12/2/2010 8:22:32 AM

BOXOFFICE

MOVIES

MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIES 2011 Naveen Sake

CARS 2 Heartbreaker Lightning McQueen and his buddy Mater continue their road trip

KUNG-FU PANDA 2 - THE KABOOM OF DOOM Po, the furious five and the Panda-monium strikes again to wobble some Awesomeness.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 4 : GHOST PROTOCOL Another Impossible Mission Tom cruise is going to make possible, frankly I wonder why they are called Impossible missions. Though, with the casting of Anil Kapoor, the stakes jus got higher for Indian audiences.

SHERLOCK HOLMES 2 Guy Ritchie brings us another helping of the best screen adaptation of the mastermind detective and this sequel against his arch nemesis Dr. Moriarty.

FAST FIVE Yes, it’s official. The movie makers of the Fast and the furious franchise have no concept of brakes. Strap on yer seat belts fellas.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON A STRANGER TIDE Disney’s another adventure takes Captain Jack Sparrow rowing on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth. 62

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SINATRA No words said less. Leo diCaprio will star as Frank Sinatra while Martin Scorcese directs. This movie is said to follow Sinatraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trails into the mafia. Scarlett Johansson is to play Marilyn Monroe!

X MEN : FIRST CLASS A Prequel to the original X-men series, the story revolves around Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, also known as Magneto.

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART II The greatest saga of Wizardry continues with the 2nd part of the already released Deathly hallows.

SUCKER PUNCH Hot chicks, insanity wards, dreams of slow motion fights. Zack Snyder, maker of 300 and Watchmen comes up with his first original. This wud be one helluva punch!

THE HANGOVER 2 This guy flick comedy absolutely had to have a sequel. Wait for a summer release for more of the killer comedy.

TRANSFORMERS: THE DARK OF THE MOON The Plot revolves around the Origin of the transformers and their part played in history and its conclusion to the present day.

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DVD REVIEW

The Scariest Asian

HORROR Movies -Naveen Sake

Horror movies are the most looked up genre by movie watchers. Time has changed since the days of Evil dead and the Ramsay brothers who’ve made their end of classic Horror cinema. Back then all it took was a mask to scare people away. But nowadays, people have grown weary of such cheap gimmicks & want to be scared witless. Horror cinema has progressed to a wide range of viewers who like gore, suspense, supernatural & other sub-genres. When it comes to bone-chilling horror, no one makes movies like the Asians. The sheer brilliance of the crisp editing and screenplay they attribute to their movies send chills up spines. The Koreans and Japanese have perfected this art through which they toy about with the mindset of the audience with absolutely gripping story lines and the experience haunts you, literally! This week, we’ve picked the 6 best Asian scares in horror movies that have become so popular that they have been remade in English again. We’ve added the English remake titles as well but I would suggest you watch the originals.

#6 Chakushin Ari English: One Missed Call As the title suggests, it’s about a girl called Yoko and a missed call that she gets, all she can hear is herself screaming on the other side. The date and time show the call to be made three days later. She & her friend Yumi consider it to be a prank call, but when the time comes, Yoko is killed mysteriously. Many such creepy instances follow, and the characters Yumi & Hiroshi try to stop the death count. Watch the movie to find out more.

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#5 Gin Gwai English: The Eye The Eye is as surrealistic as its plot line about a blind violinist who undergoes a corneal transplant. She ends up seeing the other side of life, and now can foretell death. The movie has some fantastic moments about her visions after a lifetime of blindness. What lies ahead is a deep dark story waiting to be discovered, watch it at the edge of your seats.

#4 Janghwa, Hongryeon English: A Tale Of Two Sisters Directed by Kim Jee-woon, this is one of the Best horror movies of Korean origin. The plot is as suspenseful as its haunting progression. The story is about a family consisting of an inconsiderate father, his two young daughters and their stepmother, the mystery that surrounds their lives, the past that haunts them and the family secret that lies deep within the mind of a troubled young girl.

#3 Ju-On English: The Grudge When death occurs at a place in sadness and suffering, the spirits of the dead haunt that place. A young lady who is a social worker turns up to help at a Japanese house, which seems peaceful and common outside, but holds deep within itself a horror, a grudge so evil, a curse that follows people who are connected with it, and drags them to inevitable death. This movie is a definite watch for scare enthusiasts.

#2 Shutter A photographerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life takes a horrific turn after an accident, his friends are murdered in mysterious ways and his photographs start showing strange shadows and ghostly images. As every moment in his life starts to get haunted, his girlfriend tries to find out the reason behind the mysterious photographs & their misery. This is one of the scariest movies ever made. Being photographed or clicked will never be the same again for you.

#1 Ringu English: The Ring This movie inspired the cult English horror classic, The Ring. A Video journalist Reiko is assigned a story about a cursed videotape, which killed a viewer after seven daysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; time. After a group of holidaying youngsters die under unexplained circumstances, she starts to investigate the story & watches the tape herself. Now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s her life on the seven-day ticker line & she needs to solve the mystery. If you want to own a collection of horror DVDs, this movie should definitely top your list. 65

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BOOK REVIEW

Desi Bibliophilia This month, Hyderabad Life picks the top-rated Indian authors & their best-sellers in both the fiction & non-fiction genres. These authors have continuously defined & redefined Indian literature with their works and have cemented their place as India’s literary geniuses. Aditi Mukherjee

Khushwant Singh (born 2 February 1915) He is one of the oldest living Indian authors who has seen it all – from the partition of India to the liberalization of the Indian economy. He has been closely associated with the highest echelons of the Indian political parties which reflect in his writings. He has an uncanny ability to infuse humor even in serious topics making him an extremely versatile writer. At 95, he is still enjoys the attention of women and lives life to its fullest. His book, ‘Train to Pakistan’ was first published in 1956. As the title suggests, it provides a vivid description of the turbulent period that India went through during and after partition. The atrocities and mass genocide that took place in the name of religion is meticulously described. The irreversible differences between the two largest communities of secular India can be well understood from this book. Read it for your own analysis of those times. His other books are History of Sikhs, Delhi: A Novel and With Malice towards One and All.

Satyajit Ray (2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) He is best known for winning a Special Oscar Award for lifetime achievement in filmmaking in the year 1992. Few know that he also has contributed immensely to Bengali literature as well. He wrote short stories and created two popular characters named Feluda and Professor Shonku. ‘The Complete Adventures of Feluda’ is a two volume collection of translations all the stories of Feluda published in the magazine ‘Sandesh’ from the year 1965 onwards. Satyajit Ray was greatly inspired by Sherlock Homes and in Feluda, he created a Bengali equivalent of his inspirer. Feluda is an amateur detective who tests his deductive skills through cases presented to him. He has an ardent follower in his cousin Topshe who also documents his cases. The stories are simplistic in nature and yet have a surprise element that leaves you wanting for more. The stories are equally popular amongst adults and children and would be a great addition to your book library.

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Jhumpa Lahiri (born July 11, 1967) She was born to a Bengali immigrant family in London which moved to the United States when she was three years old. Being a part of the second generation of immigrants, her stories revolve around the desperate search of identity and belongingness of young Indian Americans. Her writing reflects a subtle undertone of sadness and the pain of separation from your own people. ‘Interpreter of Maladies’ won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2000 and was her first attempt at short story writing. The stories take you all the way from Bengal to places as far as Boston. The characters are identifiable and you naturally feel for them. She uses her understanding of human emotions to create characters vulnerable to surrounding situations. A must read for anyone who has stayed away from home. Her other popular writings include The Namesake and Unaccustomed Earth.

Vikram Seth (born June 20, 1952) Vikram Seth is an acclaimed author and poet. He has published five volumes of poetry so far. He first got popular from his travel book ‘From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet’ in 1983. ‘A Suitable boy’ was his second novel and took him almost a decade to complete. This novel became a bestseller and made his writing more popular. It is set in the post independence era and revolves around the lives of four individual families, one of who is a mother looking for an eligible bachelor for her marriageable daughter. The content is sprinkled with satire while dealing with serious issues like feudalism, national politics and the caste system. He is also the author of Golden Gate and Two Lives.

Arundhati Roy (born 24 November 1961) A controversial author and a social activist, she has of late been in news for speaking for the Maoists and against the Indian government. The Indian government calls it sedition, she calls it free speech. Born to a Keralite Syrian Christian mother and a Bengali father, she spent most of her childhood in Kerela. That’s where she came up with her first novel ‘The God of Small Things’ which later went on to receive the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997. This book which was initially criticized for its blatant sexuality later created a national frenzy and made her a distinguished author in the Indian literary dominion. The book is a roller coaster ride of human emotions; beware, it doesn’t come with the disclaimer ‘Read it objectively or it will make you cry.’ Some of her other popular writings are The End of Imagination, The Algebra of Infinite Justice and Listening to Grasshoppers: Field Notes on Democracy.

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GIzmo corner

Hyderabad Life brings to you the latest technology & reviews in the tech world covering a range of emerging equipment & products. Let the geek in you rise to glory!

X-Mini II Capsule Speakers Portable speakers for your laptop and music players are available aplenty but to ffind something that possesses portability as well as decent audio output could be a daunting task. This speaker from X-Mini claims to fulfill both the criterions. The T X-Mini II Capsule Speaker, measuring 60×60×44 mm with a closed resonator & neat design is incredibly loud for its size; it does not compromise on sound quality & if you’re in need of a little bass, just twist the X-Mini II to reveal its Bass Xpansion System. The X-Mini speaker also boasts of something called the Buddy Jack. Buddy Jack is an extra 3.5mm audio port that allows the X-Mini II to pass on the audio to other connected speakers, effectively adding more loudness. X-Mini II comes with a built-in battery that can run up to 11 hours on battery & can be ccharged via the bundled mini-USB cable. X-Mini is a unique and stylish solution for those who’re seeking a decent audio output in a small package.

Price: Rs.1400/-

Dell Streak The Dell Streak’s 5-inch display makes it either a very large Smartphone or a very small tablet computer, making it small enough to go easily into a pair of cargo pants -- something that’s never going to happen with an Apple iPad. On the other hand, it weighs enough that you’re not likely to forget which pocket you have it in. Whatever its classification, this model runs Google’s Android OS on a 1 GHz processor, and offers Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, and a 5 megapixel camera.The large WVGA capacitive touchscreen display allows you to get more done with this device than you would on a smaller Smartphone. It makes web browsing better, emails easier to read, and is a blessing for watching videos and reading e-books. The Streak, designed to primarily be used in landscape mode, doesn’t have a physical keyboard, but its large display gives plenty of room for an on-screen one, which easily facilitates numbers & the commonly used punctuation marks.

Price: Rs. 30,000/-

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Steel Series - WOW Cataclysm Edition Mouse As the fame of ‘World of Warcraft’ soars higher, the game demands more focus and strategic playing. In such a situation, computer peripherals play a key role. Steel Series, two years after launching its original WoW mouse, is back with a “Cataclysm” mouse to celebrate the upcoming expansion to the world’s biggest MMO. It is the outcome of valuable feedbacks of players of WoW and the subsequent effort of the SteelSeries R&D team to integrate those changes.The mouse is high on style quotient and evokes “Deathwing the Destroyer” plating. It has the similar advantage of its predecessor of close software ties to WoW itself, by binding the 14 programmable buttons to the WoW interface without the need for you to leave the game. Also, players can program these buttons with more than 130 game commands, and the ability to store 10 character profiles on the software and one in the mouse itself. WoW Cataclysm mouse offers numerous customization options to the users and thereby renders a highly intuitive and more comfortable gaming experience

Price: $99.99 (Rs. 4,500)

Asus G73 Gaming Laptop There has never been room for subtlety when it comes to style, colors and flashing lights on a gaming laptop; hence it was quite a pleasant surprise on seeing the velvety, matt-black exterior and the Lamborghini Gallardo-influenced angles, complete with exhaust-shaped vents at the rear of Asus’ latest ‘Republic of Gamers’ laptop – The G73!The G73 doesn’t weigh much, and when turned on, it has only subtle lights for Wi-Fi, over-clocking and so on, and a slight blue glow beneath the screen.It runs on an Intel Core i7 processor and an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 graphics card.Another interesting feature is the turbo mode which allows the laptop to boost its speed to 2.8GHz when necessary, and drop as low as 996MHz when idle to cut down on heat, noise and power consumption.

Price: $1,430 (Rs. 64,350)

Nokia N8 Nokia has finally given us what we’ve been waiting for; The Symbian 3 handset N8 which looks brilliant with its aluminum construction and atypical mixture of curvy sides and sternly straight lines. It also offers a wide palette off colors – lime green, black, grey, blue & orange. The phone runs on a 680 MHz processor with a built in storage of 16GB & 32GB of expandable memory mory & supports Wi-Fi & 3G. The front is covered by the 3.5-inch AMOLED display stretching to a 640 x 360 resolution scratchproof Gorilla Glass screenn & a single Menu key. Supporting the phone are the volume buttons, crowned ned with handy little nubs for blind operation, the traditional screen-locking slider ider with a nicely ridged surface, a two-stage shutter button for the camera, a mini USB port & a 3.5 mm audio jack. The best part of the phone howeverr is i the camera at the back with the 12 megapixel sensor, Carl Zeiss autofocus us lens, mechanical shutter, and Xenon flash which produces extremely detailed eedd and natural shots. Also another noteworthy mention is the HDMI output provided roovided on the top.

Price: Rs. 26,000/69

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GAMING REVIEW Developed by Bioware, Dragon Age Origins is one of the best role playing games to hit the market. Its excellent storyline literally transports the player into another world playing it. Like any other typical RPG, you have loads of quests which include the main storyline and side quests, which makes this a long and involving game. But what is so special about Dragon Age Origins? It’s the same old good versus evil, however DA:O makes you take it seriously because of its excellent voice acting and story-telling. The PC version scores slightly above its console counterparts because of better graphics and smoother game play. On the whole, the graphics are disappointing but the game has a lot of replayability options as you get to create your own character’s class at the beginning. There are six different classes to choose from which will make you replay the game to check how different these stories and characters are. As you play on, you will continue to upgrade your character in the game. The game-play may not be suitable for

Dragon Age: Origins

REVIEW

everyone as DA:O unlike other popular Bioware multiplatform games is extremely challenging. You get to pause the action to issue orders to your team-mates, a lot of strategy has to be used to beat this game. One of the drawbacks of this game is that you may experience a few glitches and the difficulty level makes this a game for hardcore RPG fans. On PC, you get to zoom in or zoom out the camera, making it more challenging and tactical. On the consoles, the camera angle cannot be changed and it’s played in the 3rd person view. The PS3 scores over the XBox as it looks better and runs better. If you are craving for a badass RPG, this is the game for you as it doesn’t get better than DA:O!

Dead Rising 2

Dead Rising 2 is the most outrageously funny and entertaining game to come out this year. Picture a city filled with zombies, you have been framed for the outbreak and you have 3 days to prove your innocence, before the army shows up and blows your head off! You spend most of your time killing thousands of zombies using every possible item present in the game world, you can make your own weapons by combining different objects together. The game is extremely fast paced, every single mission is time based, there are times when missions will overlap each other just to save some time. DR 2 does not give you the time to rest, and finishing the whole game in the first play-through is next to impossible. DR2 gives you the rush

REVIEW that has been missing in recent games, it will take you to the limit and then push you over! The game never takes itself seriously, and killing hordes of zombies have never been so much fun. It is extremely exciting to attach chainsaws to a bike and slaughter thousands of bad guys. The long load time is a price that the gamers have to pay for the open world that they get to explore. The game is played best on the consoles. The punishing system of time limit for every mission can get very stressful, but this method of game-play keeps the tension and suspense high. The game has some RPG elements & you get to level up your character. DR2 includes co-op which means you and your buddy can get together and play the whole game. DR2, in plain and simple words is pure awesome! It’s a long and lengthy game that will keep you entertained with multiple play-throughs and interesting weapon combos, if you are into action games definitely don’t give this a miss!

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REVIEW

Just Cause 2

If you like islands, guns, stunts, parachutes, cars, choppers, planes, and a list of other crazy things, and more importantly, if you like blowing things up, then Just Cause 2 is the game for you! You are a secret agent sent to an island to overthrow a dictator. Perform mindboggling stunts as you jump off a plane, use your stunt parachute to glide or just free fall to the surface, grapple onto a car, kill the bad guys and escape! JC2 is a gorgeous game, the show-stealer is the island filled with snow covered hills, waterfalls, rivers, etc. It is the biggest game world created in recent times, filled with side quests and a main quest that will take players more than 60 hours to finish. JC 2 is a gamechanger among single player games. However the game can get repetitive, as blowing up buildings, pipelines, cars, planes etc all the time can get a little tiring. Also you have very little control over the cars, choppers, bikes and planes that you use, which can get on your nerves. The game play is good, & you can use awesome rifles, machine guns, sub-machine guns & rocket launchers. The auto aim lock for the guns looks under developed. Even with these short comings JC 2 is epic in every way possible, with a huge map to explore, thousands of enemies to kill, amazing guns & vehicles to use and above all, an epic background score! Just Cause 2 is like a Hollywood action flick from the 80â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s!

Amnesia: The Dark Descent REVIEW Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a low budget game made by Frictional games which has also developed the Penumbera series. Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a horror game and unlike other horror games like Doom, Fear & Deadspace, doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give you the option to fight back and kill the monsters. Instead the only way you can beat the game is by running away and hiding. Amnesia is easily the scariest game ever made. To truly enjoy this game, it should be played in a dark room with head phones on. Your character, like the title suggests, suffers from amnesia and is trapped in a castle. You must find another character called Alexander who is hiding in the castle. How you find Alex and avoid the monsters that are trying to kill you is what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about. Amnesia has a unique game-play style, The only way to avoid the monsters is by hiding in the shadows. However hide too long in the dark and you start to hallucinate & go insane. This unique game-play mode makes the game even creepier. As you play along, you end up finding out more about the castle. The graphics is nothing to write home about. The point and click game format may be a concern to people who are not familiar with this genre of gaming. This is one game which should definitely be experienced! Try it out if you are looking for a good scare. Your helplessness will fuel your fear!

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Vroom

India first world next Toyota etios Toyota India unveiled its all new small car Etios Hatchback and Etios Sedan concept at the Auto Expo 2010. In addition to India, the Toyota Etios (the name means â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the origin ofâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) hatchback will also be sold in Russia, South America and perhaps other emerging markets.

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Toyota Etios Hatchback coming 2011

On the outside, the Etios has sharp styling cues with a big smiling grille that has been high-mounted especially for India. The car has a strong shoulder line with an upward cut along the bottom of the door. The sporty body kit installed on the hatchback version of Etios will not be available as a standard feature. The Hatchback version of Etios looks much more proportioned and well balanced in comparison to bland looking sedan variant. Both the variants of Etios feature six spoke alloy wheels, Body coloured outside rear side view mirrors and door handles.

The interiors are quite contemporary and the Etios sports a centrally mounted instrument panel with offset AC vents. It offers more space on the inside with roomy interiors as compared to its direct competition, the Swift. The instrument panel, including speedo and trip, is placed at the middle of the dashboard while the AC vents are in round shape. The 3-spoke steering wheel comes in dual tone along with the rest of the interior. The interiors are modern, attractive and decent. Toyota Etios is expected to offer all the safety & comfort features like other C segemnt cars including Power

steering, Power windows, Remote central locking, Dash integrated music system, Steeing mounted audio controls, Automatic climate control system, Rear defogger, Rear wiper/washer, Steering adjustment and various other features offering maximum comfort to the passengers. Etios will also feature a full touchscreen music system which will be a MP3, DVD and FM system with factory fitted 4 speakers. The high end models of Etios will also feature ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) and Dual SRS Airbags.

SPECIFICATIONS Available in 4 grades & 6 Colours J (4.96 lakh), G (5.46 lakh), G* (5.96 lakh) V (6.41 lakh) and VX (6.86 lakh) are the variants.

- 1500cc Petrol Engine - Maximum Power of 90 Bhp at 5600 rpm - Maximum Torque of 132 Nm at 3000 rpm The Etios will come with a 1.5 litre petrol engine that is expected to generate maximum power of 90 Bhp at 5600 rpm with maximum torque of 132 Nm at 3000 rpm. Plans for diesel motor are on hold and the buyers will have the choice of petrol engine initially. Under ARAI standard conditions, The Etios returns a mileage of 17.64kmpl.

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General Listings Designer wear Also Road no.8, Banjara hills, ph:23351608 Anonym Road no.92, jubilee hills, ph:23558001 Da Milano Ground floor, GVK one mall, Banjara hills, ph:44767808 Envy Road no.10, Banjara hills ph.23354506 Mango Level-1, GVK One mall, Banjara Hills, ph:44767698 Neelam Ashley Alabaster studio, Secunderabad ph.9849043165 Anand Kabra Punjagutta, ph:23326393 Darzi Road no.19, Jubilee Hills, ph: 9985503333 Sonali Dhalwani Crimzon accessories, Ph: 02223685013 Creative Bee Road no.19, Banjara hills. Ph: 23357887 Madame Himayatnagar, Liberty road, The platinum. Ph: 6631315 Orange feathers Road no.14, Banjara hills, ph: 66101237 Promod GVK One mall, Banjara Hills, ph: 44767821

Persona Road no.8, banjara hills, ph:23354411 Adaa Boutique Shanti nagar, Masab Tank, ph. 23396678 Alcott GVK One, Banjara Hills, ph: 30767600 Sisley GVK one mall, Banjara Hills, ph: 23551582 Sagar Tenali Road no.4, banjara hills. ph.66772840 Satya palu Road no.10, banjara hills. Ph: 66565158 Kheya Road no.36, jublee hills. Ph:64510510 Wundershop Road no. 4, banjara hills. ph: 9948043724 Zubin vakil M.G. Road, Secunderabad. Ph: 9246357451

Fashion Jack and Jones, Road #36, jubilee hills, ph: 32589220 Mustard (plus size) GVK one mall, banjara hills, ph:44767696| Cover up Kondapur madhapur road, ph: 23119707 Anagha Road no.1, banjara hills. Ph: 64607711 Anokhi road no.10, Banjara Hills ph: 23350271

Brisah Road no.7, Banjara Hills. Ph: 23423443 Fabindia Road no.10, Banjara Hills. Ph:23353946 Fragrance Road no.7, Banjara Hills. ph:67114844 Louis phillippe Road no.7, banjara hills. Ph:23554881 Adam’s & Eve’s The lingerie lounge Opp. Universal bakers, himayath nagar ph: 30281999 Falak Road no.1, banjara hills. Ph:64544467

Sarees Debnath Concern Kallapa market tobacco bazaar, near mahankali temple, Secunderabad. Ph:66323488,66628446 Rajesh Silks House Banjara hills: 8-2-577, 3rd floor #8, Above syndicate bank Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 34 ph: 23354303. Lad Bazar Badar Complex Lad Bazar, Hyderabad -500002 Ph: 2354 4302, 6454 4302 Sri Gadwal Weavers Ameerpet . ph: 66756469 Sai Kanchi Saree House Ameerpet ph: 66628963

Zari material Khandelwal’s dealers in beads, sequins, laces stone & embroidery Begum bazaar Ph:9533367007 Archana Exclusive Banjara Hills, Hyderabad-34 ph:64575335

Kid’s wear Kid’s Dream Lounge Himayath nagar . ph:30281999 Born & Beyond Opp. Universal bakers Himayathnagar ph: 30281999 Mothercare City Centre Mall ph: 66131236

Footwear Charles & Keith Level-1, GVK one mall, Banjara Hills, ph: 44767746 Catwalk GVK one mall, banjara hills, ph:44767879 Inc.5 Nagarjuna circle, Banjara Hills, ph: 66732865 Mochi Begumpet Ph: 27766754 Soles Road no.3, Banjara Hills ph:66103535 Centro Banjara Hills, ph:66933777 Zedds road no.10, jublee hills ph:40020050

Jewellery Krsala Banjara Hills ph: 32400231 Mangatrai Punjagutta ph: 23000181

Khazana jewellery Sanali mall, Abids ph: 66829900 Tanishq Opp Chermas, Abids ph:66513581 TBZ Punjagutta Ph: 23400231 Meena jewellers GVK One mall, Banjara hills Ph: 44767758 Sri bhavani jewels Himayatnager: Pavani estates 3-6-365/C/UG -3&3A Himayatnager, Hyderabad-29 TEL:23226645, Banjara hills: 8-2-577,2nd floor, road #8,banjarahills, Hyderabad-34 Meena jewellers Babukhan estate, basheerbagh ph: 23384555 Tibarumal jewellery Road no.10, banjara hills ph:23384555 Tibarumal gems& jewels road no.2, Banjara hills ph: 40329900 Nysa Inorbit mall, madhapur Ph: 65357221 GRT Jewellers Somagiguda , ph:23414999 Krishna jewellers Valabhdas building, Beside dharmakanta, Tansal, charkaman Ph: 66147105

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Watches Kamal Watches Abids Ph: 66782818

Orchids Secunderabad Ph:27808047

Music Titan Basheerbagh Ph:23226043

Music World road no.1, Banjara Hills ph:24146728

Home décor Bathous (A unit of Doshi brothers) Road no.92, Jubilee hills Ph:30487777 Villeroy & Boch B-1, Punjagutta road, Ph:23400230 Fortune Arts Road no.10, banjara hills ph:66996699 Finesse Road 36 Jubilee Hills Ph:65265236 D Cube Road no. 92, Jubilee hills Ph:23543323 Inhabit road no.1, Banjara Hills ph:23358223 Roseby’s road no.1, banjara hills ph:23311366 Tesori road no.36. Jubilee hills ph:23553201

Florists Capital Florists punjagutta ph:23736752 Flowers 2.0 Sai plaza, KPHB colony Ph:64602345

Planet M Hyderabad central ph:66842284 Sangeet sagar Secunderabad ph:27816816

Electronics & Computers Computer centre CTC, Parklane ph:66908680 Croma road no.36, Jubilee hills ph:44778999 Reliance digital road no.12, banjara hills ph:44722200

Automobiles Dobro Toyota Doshi chambers 3-6-327&328, Basheerbagh ph:44779999 Volkswagen road no.92, Jubilee hills ph:23556364 Kun Automobiles Marriott hotel lane, Kawadiguda road ph:27671190 Mahavir Motors road no.36, Jubilee hills ph:64509004 Varun Motors road no.2, banjara hills ph:23607676

Grocery stores Bharatha stores Basheerbagh & Shanti nagar, ph:23211571, 23310770 More Begumpet ph:32400929 Ratnadeep Vikrampuri colony ph:66327938 Reliance fresh Ameerpet ph:23750281 Spencers daily Rajbhavan road ph:66464357 Qmart Road no.3, Banjara Hills ph: 23553348

Pubs & Bars Ahala Taj Krishna ph:66293361 10 Downing Street Begumpet Ph:671120387 Bottles& Chimneys Begumpet Ph:27762368 Hard Rock Cafe GVK One mall. road no.1, banjara hills ph:30767900 Spoil Siaa road no.1, Jubilee hills ph:64513333 Torque Green park hotel Ameerpet ph:66515151 Excess novotel, madhapur ph:66824422 Extreme Sports Bar road no.1, banjara hills ph:64586166 Levitate kharkhana ph:42020011 Firangipani City Centre ph:66570000

Liquids Road no.1, Banjara Hills ph:66259907 Touch road no.2, Banjara Hills ph:23542422

Tarot reading Suhasini Tarot care reader (Western astrology) Alcazar plaza, road no.1, banjara hills ph: 9393026634,

Lifestyle Health & Fitness Zareer Patell Silhouette Aerobics ph:09246520614 Dinaz Banjara Hills ph:23314607 Fitbuzz Begumpet ph:66266665 Latitudes pro Road no 36, Jubilee hills ph:23554800 Talwalkars Secunderabad ph:66495812 Taasha begumpet ph:66848888

Spas Opium Salon lounge Massage facials & salon City center mall Ground Floor, Banjara Hills Mobile:9959555444 Inorbit mall, 2nd floor, Madhapur Mobile: 903046666

Future Predictions ph:9394844999 Astrology consultations: Mrs. R Sudha cell: 9849040847 Intuitive tarot Vidha jain ph:9849012010 Shabia’s Tarot Reading ph:9989244316

Yoga Manoyoga somajiguda ph:31022965 Apoorva Gupta banjara hills ph:9866773900 Sharmila Yoga Zone Banjara Hills ph:23316562 Yogajyothi Jubilee hills ph:9393002396

contactus@opiumspa.com

Perfect Ten Express Spa, Cinemax ph:65248135 Ayur care Begumpet ph:27763628 lotus spa banjara hills ph:234000132 Reflections spa Somajiguda ph:23407370

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Beauty Parlours Laa banjaras Supriya Nivas, Sagar society, road no.2, Banjara Hills ph:42101379 www.laabanjaras. com Kiran Varma’s beauty salon for women # 112, Ganesh Nilayam, Image Hospital Road, Beside Abridge, Vittalrao Nagar, Madhapur Ph:040 23123 666 Kondapur 404, Bhaskar Empire, Silicon Towers, Kondapur, Landline : 040 -23 119 666 Hair kraft, Himayat nagar, Platinum hotel, Ph:929908476 Anoos Somajiguda ph:23225002 Beyond Beauty Somajiguda ph:23392325 Juice road no.1 banjara hills ph:66460008 Jawed habib Road no.1, Banjara Hills ph:23316559 Mirrors road no.1, Jubilee Hills ph:23540003 Nirvana kondapur ph:32998992

Toppers white house,begumpet ph:23402357

Beauty Products Kathiawar stores Main road, Abids ph:24758172 Forest essentials GVK one, Banjara Hills ph:44767669 Choreography Steps dance Studio road no.13, Banjara Hills ph:67118300 amit Dynamic dance zone, barkatpura ph:9346905669 Shiamak Davar dance studio, Shangrila plaza, road no.2 banjara hills ph:9885347259

Multi-cuisine Restaurants Deccan Pavilion ITC Kakatiya ph:40081801 Encounters Taj Krishna ph:66293326 Circle9 SVM@Rd.NO.36 Jubilee hills ph:66229999 Fusion9 road no.1, banjara hills ph:65577722 The square NHCC, Madhapur Ph:66824422

South Indian Spice junxion road no.1, banjara hills ph:23393939 Chutneys Himayathnagar

ph:30488484 Kuchipudi somajiguda ph:23325678 Southern Mirchi punjagutta ph:66664747 The Spicy Venue Jubilee hills Ph:65595225

North Indian Kebabs and Kurries ITC Kakatiya Ph:400081859 Angeethi Dhaba road no.1, banjara hills ph:66252941 Deori gachibowli ph:44508888 Gufaa Basheerbagh ph:23298811 Haldi Novotel airport ph:66503000 Punjabi by Nature road no.12, banjara hills ph:23317284 The great Kebab Factory road no.12, banjara hills ph:23302244

Oriental Golden Dragon Taj Krishna Ph:23392323 Far East Ohri’s banjara, road no.12, Banjara Hills ph: 23302200 Syn Taj Deccan Ph:66663939 Nanking Parklane, Sec’bad Ph:27843634 Shanghai Dice Somajiguda Ph:65151188

Continental La cantina

Novotel Hyderabad Ph:66824422 Indijoe City centre mall Ph:66683333 Laguna road no.2, banjara hills ph:64511988 Little italy road no.92, Jubilee hills ph:67110162 Zaitoon mehdipatnam ph:9866778047

Vegetarian Basil Banjara Hills ph: 64536465 Ohri’s Jeeva Somajiguda ph:9866778047

Coffee shops Barista banjara hills ph:66101802 Café coffee day begumpet ph:65181341 Oxford Café road no.1, banjara hills ph:53533335 Chocolate room Kavuri hills Jubilee hills Ph:40161108 Sweet Nirvana plot no.105, Kavuri Hills ph: Madhapur ph:42414343

Fast food Domino’s pizza Ph:66518585 KFC Madhapur Ph:40364455 Mc Donald’s Abids Ph:66000666 Pizza Hut ph:3988 3988 Texas chicken Himayathnagar ph:40025050

Bakers Karachi bakery Mozamjahi market Ph:24732786 Pat-A-Cake Prakashnagar, Begumpet Ph:27763900 Ofen bakery road no.10, banjara hills ph:23372205 Vacs pastries opp mcdonald’s Karkhana ph:27740233

Luxury hotels Hyderabad Marriott Tankbund Ph:27522888 Ista Gachibowli Ph: 44508888 ITC Kakatiya Begumpet Ph:23400132 Novotel Airport Shamshabad Ph:66250000 Novotel Hyderabad Madhapur Ph;66824422 Taj Krishna Road no.1, Banjara Hills ph:66662323 Taj Banjara Road no.1, Banjara Hills ph:66669999 Taj Deccan Road no.1, Banjara Hills ph:66663939 The Park Hotel 22, Rajbhavan road Ph: 23456789 Westin Hitech city, Madhapur Ph:67676351

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Semi luxury The Golkonda Masab tank Ph:9848930084 Fortune Katriya Raj bhavan road , Somajiguda Ph:23325678 Green park Greenlands, Begumpet Ph:66515151

Budget hotels Hotel Peppermint Lakdikapul Ph: 4451234 Hotel Pearl Regency Lakdikapul Ph:66666555 Platinum Hotel Himayathnagar, Ph:66045757

Service apartments Native Boutique Apartments Madhapur Ph: 9440801350 Nirvana Service Apartments road no.3, Banjara Hills ph: 23558081 Swan suites Madhapur ph:40101933 Six Seventy Five Road no.13, Banjara Hills ph: 23308989

Resorts Alankrita Shamirpet Ph:27709106 Leonia holistic Resorts Shamirpet Ph:66400000 Lahari Resorts Shankerpally Ph:23432349 Papyrus Port Shamshabad Ph:67113320 Placida Kondapur Ph:23352321

Pragati Green Meadows Jubilee Hills ph: 23744594

Clubs Chiran Fort Begumpet ph:27900900 Country Club Begumpet ph: 23402000 Nizam Club Public Garden road ph:23237097 Secunderabad Club Ph: 27804840

Libraries British Library Secretariat Ph: 23240848 The library@ kaleidoscope Umanagar Ph:40180825

Hospitals Gandhi hospital Musheerabad, Ph: 40-27505566 Nims hospital Punjagutta Ph:23320102 Apollo Hospitals Jubilee Hills, ph: 23607777 Rainbow Hospitals Vikrampuri clolony Ph:27896060 AP Super Speciality Dental Hospitals Banjara Hills ph:23548781 Asian Institute of Gastroenterology Somajiguda ph:23378888 Care hospital Banjara Hills ph:30418888 Indo American cancer institute Banjara Hills ph:23551235 Lotus Shildrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital Lakdikapul ph:40404400

Medwin Hospitals Abids ph:23206666 Sri Shakara Nethralyam Miyapur ph: 64545457

Tours & Travels Isha Tours &Travels Bhavana Towers, secunderabad . Ph:66202033 Cox & Kings Pavani Plaza Khairatabad ph:23306491 GSK Tours & Travels Bapunagar, SR nagar, Ph:67117262 Kesineni Travels Dwaraka complex, Lakdikapul Ph:23230045

Real Estate Aparna Constructions Road No.1, Banjara Hills Ph:23352068 PBEL Kavuri hills, Madhapur Ph:39151500 Ramky Estate & Farms Ltd Road No.1, Banjara Hills Ph:66667878 Giridhari Construction Journalist Colony, Jubilee Hills, Ph: 9703624666

Marredpally ph: 27804626

Jubilee Hills ph: 65987360

Central Book Store Happy Trade Centre, SD Road ph: 6649 7656 Crossword Begumpet ph: 27763242 Banjara Hills ph: 66131207

Best Buy Road 12, Banjara Hills ph: 2339 0088

Himalaya Book World Panjagutta ph: 2335 5598 Odyssey Somajiguda/J Hills ph: 23414801/03 Walden Begumpet ph: 23413434 Banjara Hills ph: 23551613 Saptaparni Banjara Hills ph: 66667707,

D Cube Road No. 92, Jubilee Hills ph: 23543323

FURNITURE & FURNISHINGS Colonial Collections Chikoti Gardens Begumpet ph: 2776 1883, Inner Space Road No.12, Banjara Hills ph: 23324546 Master Pieces Road No-12, Banjara Hills ph: 2331 8846, Monarch Ergonomics

Training Classes: Chocofantasy Chocolate making Institute ph: 98490408470

BOOKS & STATIONERY A Hussain & Co Abids ph:2320-3724 Akshara Banjara Hills ph: 23554096 Kavuri Hills ph: 23114379

Kimtee Square, Road# 12, Banjara Hills ph: 9701116999

Darpan Furnishings Tilak Road, Abids ph: 24760136

Jaya Durga Furnishings Lalbungalow, Ameerpet ph: 2375 3123 Master Pieces Road No 12, Banjara Hills ph: 23318846 Rugs Galore Gulmohar Avenue, Villa Marie Lane, Rajbhavan Road ph: 32954205 South Bay Rd.No.12,Banjara Hills ph: 2338 6151

GAME CENTERS The Fun Factory Prasads Multiplex ph: 2344 8888 Time Zone City Center, Banjara Hills ph: 6677 8777

Seating World Extension Road No 12 Banjara Hills ph: 66461888 Seating World Maheshwari Complex, Somajiguda ph: 55667642 Atmosphere Road No. 36,

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: mom’s eyes :- dad’s nose :-( their HIV

issued in public interest for world aids day by

Every day 1,000 children are born HIV+,more than 2/3rds die as a result of AIDS. Spread the word on AIDS. Let’s be sensible. Let’s be safe.

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SUBSCRIBE NOW!

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Publisher

B Chandra Shekhar Reddy Nymisha Castle, Flat no.101 plot 290, Road 10C Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad Ph: 040-23540048

12/2/2010 8:23:33 AM

SPECIAL FEATURE TRAVAILS OF A TRUE HYDERABADI

The Wedding Dancer! It seems to be the season of calamities. People seem to be getting married. A friend of mine is getting married this month. Yes, I already tried talking him out of it. I even kidnapped him, tied him to a chair & made him watch Guzaarish. But he didn’t budge (pun intended).

my first warning sign. Indeed, most of the class had taken this beginners’ class several times. Luckily, the instructor ignored those novices and adjusted his instruction for the one true beginner in the class. And by that I mean he singled me out with hilarious comments about my lack of ability.

I realized I’m at the age where my friends marry. It seems every time I sign on to Facebook, someone new is engaged. Am I the only one to see an opportunity to get a new Facebook game going on here – “Lambs-led-toslaughter-Ville”?

For those of you who have never taken a dance class, it goes something like this. First the instructor demonstrates some footwork a bit too fast for you to have any idea what he did. Then he repeats the demonstration several times, each time differently as far as you can tell. And often you can’t see the demonstration at all because a big fat excited girl is standing in your way.

Every other day, I am invited to Champapet & Sikh Village – the hubs of ‘function halls’ in the city to partake in engagements, weddings, receptions et al. Do I have fun there? I don’t know. But what I do know is if you’re a friend of the groom/bride, they expect you to perform elaborate dancing ceremonies at their weddings – at the Baraat, Sangeet etc.

Armed with this lack of information, you proceed to humiliate yourself by moving randomly and hoping that this flailing will somehow turn to dancing over time.

It would be fair to say that I am not gifted in the performing arts. It would be equally fair to say that I dance like a drunken monkey urinating on an electric fence. This was the perfect time for me to show off my poor dancing skills with my version of the Rigga Digga Ding Dong Song.

The instructor tried to teach me the beat by repeating 1-2-3 over the music in a way that prevented me from hearing the music because he kept saying 1-2-3 really loudly. Sometimes he would throw in a 4-56. Sometimes he said I should move my foot forward on the 1, sometimes the 2, occasionally the 4 - all without explanation.

As sort of a first step towards not frightening children at the wedding, there was a dance class organized for all the ‘performers’. The instructor began by asking who in the class had never taken a dance class. I was the only one to raise my hand. This was

Let me tell you, if you start throwing numbers at a guy like me, they better have some explanation to go with them. Is the beat on the 1 or the 2 or the 3, or are there three beats and then some silence? And why do you need the 4-5-6 sometimes and

not other times? What the hell is the algorithm? I don’t know if rage is what most dance students feel, but my Fist of Death was starting to clench and the instructor had a near-death experience without ever realizing it. Towards the end, the instructor helpfully suggested that this beginner’s class was way over my head. Someday I hope to take a class to raise my level up to beginner. Till then I will stick to what I call my Salsa Bhangra 3-maar dance mix. I still performed at the sangeet, but the Baraat was where I really let my dancing mojo loose with my 3-maar. Everything went well ultimately and in a wedding that took more planning than the Commonwealth Games, the only casualties being the groom & a dancer’s self-esteem were totally acceptable. Actually, you know what would have been more fun? I should have written about bachelor parties instead.

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12/2/2010 8:23:40 AM